France urges Russia, Iran to reason with Damascus

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS

France on Tuesday condemned the Syrian regime's continuous attacks in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta and urged Russia and Iran to interfere to implement the cease-fire in the region.

"France strongly condemns the continuation of the air-and-ground offensive conducted by the Syrian regime in Eastern Ghouta, in complete violation of the UN Security Council 2401 resolution.

“The continuation of this offensive continues to cause dozens of civilian casualties every day," a Foreign Ministry statement read.

"France calls on the Syrian regime's allies, particularly Russia and Iran, to comply without delay with their international obligations and to impose on the regime of Damascus, which operates with their support, the implementation of the humanitarian truce," the statement added.

Since Feb. 19, at least 810 people have been killed in Eastern Ghouta, and the death toll is expected to rise as attacks by the regime continue.

On Feb. 24, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for a 30-day cease-fire in Syria without delay.

However, Syrian regime forces continued to conduct ground and air attacks causing more than 50 deaths, the White Helmets civil defense agency said late Monday; the first UN convoy to enter the besieged Eastern Ghouta had to also cut short its mission.

The Syrian regime also denied the delivery of 70 percent of medical supplies and removed it from an aid convoy, according to the World Health Organization.

President Emmanuel Macron said Monday he expects Russia, which voted in favor of resolution 2401, "to take real and concrete steps to immediately stop the indiscriminate bombings and the sieges against civilians".

Eastern Ghouta 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, Bashar al-Assad regime forces have intensified their siege on the region, making it nearly impossible for food or medicine to get into the district and leaving thousands of patients in need of treatment.