Russia and the Assad regime are responsible for the “heart-breaking human suffering” in the rebel-held enclave of eastern Ghouta, US President Donald Trump and his British counterpart Theresa May said Sunday.
The two leaders discussed the “appalling humanitarian situation in Eastern Ghouta” during a phone call Sunday detailed by May’s Downing Street office.
“They agreed it was a humanitarian catastrophe, and that the overwhelming responsibility for the heart-breaking human suffering lay with the Syrian regime and Russia, as the regime’s main backer,” the prime minister’s office said.
May and Trump said “Russia and others with influence over the Syrian regime must act now to cease their campaign of violence and to protect civilians.” Devastating airstrikes, artillery fire and rocket attacks on towns and villages of eastern Ghouta have left dozens of civilians dead.
The Syrian Coalition earlier said that the Assad regime and Russia are committing widespread violations of UN Security Council resolution 2401. It said that the resolution was not implemented, not even in the minimum, as the bombings continue and life-saving relief was still blocked from reaching eastern Ghouta.
The United Nations renewed its calls to stop the bombing of eastern Ghouta and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need. “What we need to see is a halt to the fighting. Once a halt… when the fighting stops, people would be able to move, and we would be able to get those who are in need of most help to leave … It’s not complicated,” said Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary‑General on Friday.
The UN on Sunday said that violence in eastern Ghouta was escalating and that the policy of collective violence of civilians was unacceptable. It pointed out that it intended to send humanitarian aid to the Damascus suburb on Monday. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
