Activists said that Assad’s jets conducted at least six airstrikes on the besieged district of Alwaer on Monday, causing dozens of civilian casualties, including children. The airstrikes targeted mainly civilian homes, activists said.
Prior to the airstrikes, a committee representing residents of the district met with Russian military officials outside the district to negotiate a settlement. However, the meeting ended with the Russians saying they cannot guarantee the cessation of shelling by the regime forces and their allied foreign militia besieging the district.
Russia has presented itself as a guarantor of the ceasefire agreement which came into force on December 29, 2016.
Member of the Syrian Coalition’s political committee Yasser Farhan said that Russia bears the prime responsibly for the continued regime crimes against the Syrian people as it failed to force the Assad regime to stop violations of the ceasefire agreement.
Shortly before the meeting with the Russian military officials, up to 12 airstrikes hit Alwaer, killing at least two civilians and wounding 17 others.
The Assad regime forces have intensified bombardment on the besieged district of Alwaer in Homs since early February, killing and injuring dozens of civilians.
Residents trapped in Alwaer district suffer severe shortages of medicines and medical equipment as well as high prices of infant formula due to regime blockade on the district. Regime forces besieging the district continue to prevent the ill and injured from leaving the district for treatment. They threaten they will target aid convoys if they try to enter Alwaer. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)