Orient Net, 16 March 2018— After splitting eastern Ghouta to 3 pockets, Assad regime has intensified assault on opposition enclave’s southern pocket since yesterday, including Saqba, Zamalka, Jisreen and Hamouriay city, killing at least 90 civilians, with reports of regime militias using civilians as human shields after allowing them to leave the area.

Orient News correspondent said civilians were allowed to leave Hamouriya city on Thursday (March 15), through individual communications with regime militias, to use them later as human shields to infiltrate into the southern besieged city.

Assad regime militias, to use them later as human shields to infiltrate into the southern besieged city

Simultaneously, Assad militias, backed by Russian air force, intensified shelling on Kafrbatna, Hamouriya, Zamalka, Saqba, and Ain Tarma killing 40 civilians yesterday, according to Orient News correspondent.

Our correspondent also reported overnight shelling with white phosphorus against Kafarbatna city.

Assad regime official media outlets and other pro-regime social media pages published photos showing tens of civilians fleeing eastern Ghouta from the side of Hamouriya, claiming victory by letting “thousands” of civilians leave Ghouta.