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Syria: Terrorists retreat, citizens flee from Eastern Ghouta

Published

9 years ago

March 5, 2018

Syria: Terrorists retreat, citizens flee from Eastern Ghouta

Damascus wins civilians confidence

Finally situation in Eastern Ghauta near Damascus has moved forward with successful government’s dual strategy of continuing military operations against the armed groups and facilitating the civilians exit by implementing five-hour-a-day pause in hostilities as suggested by Russian government. So far some 2,000 civilians have left the besieged enclave.

According to Aljazeera, thousands of Syrians are fleeing a government-led offensive on the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta as President Bashar al-Assad vowed that the fight would continue until the eradication of terrorism.

According to Syrian state media, President Basher al-Assad, in a televised address to the nation on Sunday evening, has vowed to continue operations in Eastern Ghouta. “We will continue fighting terrorism … and the Ghouta operation is a continuation of fighting terrorism,” he said.

“There is no contradiction between a truce and combat operations. The progress achieved yesterday and the day before in Ghouta by the Syrian Arab Army was made during this truce. Therefore we must continue with the operation in parallel with opening the way for civilians to leave,” he said.

Syrian President also dismissed western claims concerning the humanitarian situation as ridiculous and false accusations. “The humanitarian situation which the West speaks of from time to time, is a very ridiculous lie, as ridiculous as the western officials who repeat it,” he said.

State media has claimed that Syrian forces have advanced on several fronts, retaking control of farms and villages. They seized a number of districts including Al-Nashabiyeh and Otaya and had “eradicated terrorist groups”. The Central Military Media said Syrian forces reached the outskirts of Mesraba, in central Ghouta.

Syrian official news agency SANA, in its latest report has claimed that it has undertaken camera tour over al-Nashabiyeh town in Eastern Ghouta after liberating it from Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists.

Meanwhile, London based pro-rebel Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR) said that some 2,000 civilians had fled regime shelling and clashes in eastern areas to the western parts of the enclave.

“Everyone is on the road. There’s destruction everywhere,” said 35-year-old Abu Khalil, carrying a little girl in his arms with a wound to her face. “Many families are trapped under rubble, the rescue workers just can’t cope,” he said.

Syrian government forces have seized roughly one-quarter of the territory in recent days. They have reached the centre Eastern Ghouta to the edge of Beit Sawa.

Aljazeera reports that Hamza Biqdar, the spokesman of Jaish al-Islam rebel group, has in an audio message, vowed that government forces would be driven from the territory they had captured. He claimed that the rebels had fortified positions to confront the attacking forces.

The spokesman further said that anti Assad rebels were forced to retreat and regroup in Eastern Ghouta because of the Syrian government’s “scorched earth” policy involving heavy artillery fire, air strikes, and helicopter attacks.

AFP correspondent in Eastern Ghouta saw hundreds of civilians fleeing from the town of Beit in the southeast of the enclave on Sunday.

Earlier on Sunday, SANA had reported that for the seventh consecutive day, Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization and the terrorists affiliated to it have prevented the civilians to exit from Ghouta through the safe corridor in al-Wafideen Camp.

Eastern Ghouta, home to some 400,000 people, has been under a crippling siege and daily bombardment for months. Western media has claimed that more than 600 civilians have been killed in the last two weeks alone.

Recently, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed his serious concern saying that population of Ghouta is living in “hell on earth”. In one district, 93% of buildings had been damaged or destroyed by December 2017.

United Nations Human rights Council held an emergency meeting on March 2 when its chief Zaid Ra’ad al-Hussain said, “I must emphasise that what we are seeing, in Eastern Ghouta and elsewhere in Syria, are likely war crimes, and potentially, crimes against humanity. The perpetrators of these crimes must know they are being identified; that dossiers are being built up with a view to their prosecution; and that they will be held accountable for what they have done”.

Most of the areas, which were earlier captured by Daesh (IS), Jabhat al-Nusra and other anti Assad groups, have been liberated in recent months. Raqqa, Aleppo, Hama, Deir al-Zaur and several other cities and towns have already been liberated by Syrian forces supported by Hezbollah and Iranian military advisors on the ground and Russian warplanes in the air.

After completion of military operations in Eastern Ghouta Syrian forces will focus in liberating Idlib, where armed groups were transported from other areas during last one year.

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S Jaishankar calls Pakistan a “serial practitioner of terrorism” at UN

S Jaishankar criticised Pakistan at the UN General Assembly, referring to a “serial practitioner of terrorism” and warning against attempts to normalise terrorism.

Published

2 days ago

September 27, 2026

APNLive Desk

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticised Pakistan during his address to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying that a “serial practitioner of terrorism” had misrepresented facts and that arguments were being made to normalise terrorism.

Jaishankar’s remarks came a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the UN General Assembly and spoke about the 2025 military confrontation between India and Pakistan.

Jaishankar’s message to Pakistan

Referring to Pakistan without naming it directly in that remark, Jaishankar said a “serial practitioner of terrorism” had misrepresented facts before the UN General Assembly.

He said arguments were being made to normalise terrorism and claim immunity from its consequences, adding that such an approach would not stand.

Jaishankar reiterated India’s position that the country would exercise its right to defend itself against terrorism.

He also said that friendship and goodwill could not coexist with terrorism and that understandings based on such circumstances would naturally be called into question.

“It is for the perpetrator of terrorism to mend its ways,” Jaishankar said.

India stresses zero tolerance on terrorism

Jaishankar described terrorism as a persistent threat to peace and called for governments involved in cross-border terrorism to be held accountable.

He also stressed that there should be no dilution in India’s zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism and particularly called for greater attention to its financial aspects.

His remarks came a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif referred to the 2025 India-Pakistan military confrontation during his UN General Assembly address.

Jaishankar backs two-state solution for Palestine

During his UN address, Jaishankar also spoke about the situation in West Asia and said India was prepared to contribute to efforts addressing food and energy security amid continuing tensions and violence.

On the Palestine issue, he reiterated India’s longstanding support for a two-state solution.

Jaishankar said India was also contributing humanitarian assistance and relief efforts for the Palestinian people.

He also warned about continuing threats and pressures around the world and stressed the need for greater stability, security and predictability.

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Published

3 days ago

September 26, 2026

APNLive Desk

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

Latest world news

Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

Published

5 days ago

September 23, 2026

APNLive Desk

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.