Syrian regime kills 23 more civilians in Eastern Ghouta

By Esref Musa and Mohamad Misto

EASTERN GHOUTA, Syria/ANKARA, Turkey (AA) - Syrian regime forces have killed 23 civilians in ongoing attacks in Eastern Ghouta, the Syrian Civil Defense said Friday.

It said the Bashar al-Assad regime's ground and air attacks occurred despite decisions to implement a ceasefire made separately by Russia and the UN.

The number of casualties in Eastern Ghouta since Feb. 19 has reached 697.

Last Saturday, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria without delay.

Eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb, has been under siege for the last five years and humanitarian access to the area, which is home to some 400,000 people, has been completely cut off.

In the past eight months, forces of the Assad regime have intensified their siege of Eastern Ghouta, making it nearly impossible for food or medicine to get into the district and leaving thousands of patients in need of treatment.