Syrian Forces Arrive at Gates of Douma to Facilitate Civilians' Evacuation: Senior MP
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Syrian army, backed by its allied forces, has managed to arrive at the gates of Douma, Eastern Ghouta, gearing up to evacuate civilians and liberate the city from the grip of Takfiri terrorists, a senior Syrian lawmaker said.
Speaking to Tasnim on Thursday, Khaled al-Aboud pointed to the recent gains by Syrian troops in the Eastern Ghouta district, saying that the Arab country’s army will continue its counter-terrorism operation to uproot terrorism and establish peace across the area.
Eastern Ghouta, a besieged area on the outskirts of Damascus which is home to some 400,000 people, has witnessed deadly violence over the past few weeks, with foreign-sponsored terrorists launching mortar attacks on the Syrian capital in the face of an imminent humiliating defeat. The Syrian army now controls over 80 percent of the territory.
“At present, the Syrian army has been stationed at the gate of Douma city in Eastern Ghouta,” he added.
The senior lawmaker further said that Damascus plans to reach an evacuation deal with some of the armed militants amassed inside the city and help civilians leave the last rebel bastion.
The army will tighten the noose around the militants in Douma to put pressure on them and facilitate the civilians’ exit, al-Aboud said.
The Jaish al-Islam Takfiri group has said it will stay in Douma, which is home to tens of thousands of civilians.
On Tuesday, Jaish al-Islam said Russia had yet to give its answer to proposals regarding Douma, claiming the Syrian and Russian governments are seeking to change the demographic map of the area by evacuating its residents.
Syria has established a humanitarian corridor to allow civilians to leave the operation zone, while Russia has been enforcing daily pauses in fighting to facilitate people's exit.
Eastern Ghouta fell to multiple militant groups in 2012, months after Syria plunged into crisis, and has since served as a launch pad for fatal mortar attacks against residents and infrastructure in the capital.