Thousands of civilians fled the rebel-held eastern Ghouta town of Hammouriyeh on Thursday as the Syrian army continued to make inroads into the last major stronghold in the area, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Observatory Director Rami Abdulrahman said it was the largest exodus of people from the besieged area near Damascus since government forces launched a campaign to recapture it last month.

After the Syrian army opened a corridor following a late-night advance, the civilians were seen fleeing to an area held by the Syrian government on foot, in cars and on motorcycles.

Scores of wounded and sick people were evacuated earlier this week from eastern Ghouta, which has been divided into three encircled areas by the government offensive.

Twenty-five trucks hauling humanitarian aid entered the northern rebel-held area and was headed to the town of Douma, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

The ICRC added the convoy was transporting enough food aid for 26,100 people for one month and other items as well.

The Observatory also said overnight that dozens of air strikes and shelling pounded eastern Ghouta’s southern pocket.

Russia and Syria have said their forces only target armed militants and try to halt insurgent mortar attacks that have killed dozens of people in the area. The two countries have blamed the rebels of using civilians as human shields, an accusation the insurgents have denied.

 
…