Macron urges truce in Syria's Eastern Ghouta after bombardment escalation

PARIS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday called for a truce in Syria's eastern Ghouta district to facilitate evacuation of civilians and access to humanitarian aid in the rebel-held enclave.

At a joint press conference with his Liberian counterpart Georges Weah, the French president asked the United Nations's Security Council to rapidly adopt a resolution regarding the violence escalation in the Syrian district.

In a statement issued on Feb. 20, the French foreign ministry condemned "indiscriminate attacks" which "constituted a serious violation of international humanitarian law."

Eastern Ghouta has for long been the major threat to the capital Damascus, with rebels, including al-Qaida-linked ones, launching several attacks to infiltrate the capital.

The rebel-held Eastern Ghouta in the countryside of Syrian capital Damascus has witnessed intense airstrikes and shelling as military showdown is approaching.

The spark of the recent unprecedented violence was ignited a couple of months ago when al-Qaida-linked groups launched an offensive against a key military base in the city of Harasta in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus, prompting a counter military offensive in that area.

The attacks at the times were coupled with rebels shelling of the capital Damascus, and Syrian airstrikes targeting the rebel positions in Eastern Ghouta.

But the situation has dramatically worsened in recent days when a wide-scale military offensive on Eastern Ghouta was in place, preparing to end the presence of al-Qaida-linked groups in that area.

But the situation is not easy, as around 350,000 civilians are still living in Eastern Ghouta, which is a large countryside constituting of several towns and villages under the rebel control. Enditem