Assad regime airstrikes kill 8 civilians in East Ghouta

A fighter jet, belonging to either the Syrian or Russian air force drops bombs during an airstrike over residential areas of Arbin town of the Eastern Ghouta region of Damascus in Syria on December 2, 2017 [Samir Tatin / Anadolu Agency]

Assad regime’s war craft drops bombs during an airstrike over residential areas of Arbin town of the Eastern Ghouta region of Damascus in Syria on December 2, 2017 [Samir Tatin / Anadolu Agency]

Assad regime’s war craft drops bombs during an airstrike over residential areas of Arbin town of the Eastern Ghouta region of Damascus in Syria on December 2, 2017 [Samir Tatin / Anadolu Agency]

Smoke rises after Assad regime’s warplane carried out airstrikes over Arbin town of the Eastern Ghouta region in Damascus, Syria on December 2, 2017 [Samir Tatin / Anadolu Agency]

At least eight civilians were killed Saturday when forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad in Syria attacked residential areas in Eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb, Anadolu Agency correspondents reported from Damascus.

The regime airstrikes targeted Haresta, Madyara, Arbin and Misraba areas, the correspondents said, adding six civilians were killed in Arbin, while two women were killed in Haresta.

Scores of injured were transferred to local hospitals.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Assad regime agreed to the terms of the Russian-proposed truce, which covers the Eastern Ghouta district.

Read: UN seeks urgent medical evacuation of 500 from Syria’s eastern Ghouta

Eastern Ghouta falls within a network of de-escalation zones – endorsed by Turkey, Russia and Iran – in which acts of aggression are expressly forbidden. Nevertheless, regime forces have maintained their attacks on the district, leaving dozens of civilians dead or injured.

According to local civil defence sources, at least 140 civilians have been killed by regime forces in the area in the period from November 14 to December 2.

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating civil war that began in early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the fighting and more than 10 million displaced, according to the UN.

Read: China to deploy troops to fight alongside Assad in Syria

Smoke rises after Assad regime’s warplane carried out airstrikes over Arbin town of the Eastern Ghouta region in Damascus, Syria on 2 December, 2017 [Samir Tatin/Anadolu Agency]

Civil defence crews and civilians conduct search and rescue after an airstrike in the besieged town of Arbin, in the Eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of Damascus, on December 2, 2017 [Qusay Noor / Anadolu Agency]

Civil defence crews and civilians conduct search and rescue after an airstrike in the besieged town of Arbin, in the Eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of Damascus, on 2 December, 2017 [Qusay Noor/Anadolu Agency]

Civil defence crews and civilians conduct a search and rescue after the Assad Regime carried out an air strike in Eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of Damascus, on 2 December 2017 [Qusay Noor / Anadolu Agency]

Civil defence crews and civilians conduct search and rescue after an airstrike in the besieged town of Arbin, in the Eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of Damascus, on December 2, 2017 [Qusay Noor / Anadolu Agency]

Civil defence crews and civilians conduct search and rescue after an airstrike in the besieged town of Arbin, in the Eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of Damascus, on December 2, 2017 [Qusay Noor / Anadolu Agency]

Civil defence crews and civilians conduct search and rescue after an airstrike in the besieged town of Arbin, in the Eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of Damascus, on December 2, 2017 [Qusay Noor / Anadolu Agency]

Smoke rises after Assad regime’s warplane carried out airstrikes over Arbin town of the Eastern Ghouta region in Damascus, Syria on December 2, 2017 [Samir Tatin / Anadolu Agency]