Syria and Russia’s latest offensive has killed 177 civilians in 2 weeks

• A new offensive by the Syrian regime and Russia in Eastern Ghouta, Syria has killed at least 177 civilians in the last two weeks.
• Reports have also emerged that Syria struck an area between Harasta and Douma on Saturday with three missiles filled with chlorine gas.
• The new deadly offensive has coincided with an escalation in Idlib province.

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The Syrian regime and Russia began a new air and land offensive on December 31 to take back the rebel-held rural Eastern Ghouta region outside of Damascus.

New figures show how the offensive has devastated the local population.

177 civilians, including 51 children, have been killed in the last two weeks, and 811 more have been wounded, according to a statement released on Sunday by the White Helmets, a Syrian volunteer rescue group.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said on Sunday that the offensive has killed about 190 people.

“One particular heavy attack on residential buildings was so strong it reportedly injured 80 civilians including children and women,” Fran Equiza, UNICEF’s representative in Syria, saidin a statement on Sunday.

 

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Featured image courtesy of AP