How many hours a day does Putin order a ceasefire in the battle in Eastern Ghouta?

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered on the 26th that the military attack on the opposition forces in the Eastern Ghouta region of Syria will take a "humanitarian break" for 5 hours every day from the 27th, and "humanitarian passages" will be set up to evacuate civilians. .

These measures will help implement the United Nations Security Council’s resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire across Syria.

Russian-Syrian ceasefire for five hours every day

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on the evening of the 26th that “in accordance with the instructions of the Russian President, in order to avoid civilian casualties in Eastern Ghouta, from 2 Starting tomorrow, March 27, a "humanitarian intermittent" ceasefire will be implemented from 9:00 to 14:00 (every day).

In a statement sent to AFP, Shoigu said that a similar temporary humanitarian ceasefire will be implemented in the Tanf Mountains and Rukban River areas in southern Syria near the Jordanian border.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a follow-up statement that the Syrian Red Crescent will assist in setting up "humanitarian passages" and arrange buses and ambulances to evacuate the wounded and sick. Russia will use leaflets, mobile phone text messages and videos to inform residents in Eastern Ghouta and other places of the specific location and other information of the passage.

Major General Yuri Yevtushenko, spokesman for the Russian Mediation Center for the Parties to the Conflict in Syria, said that these measures were determined through consultation between Russia and Syria. "At that time, the Syrian government forces will suspend their attacks on terrorists." .

Yevtushenko accused the Syrian opposition forces of "taking hundreds of residents including women and children hostage, making them victims and not allowing them to leave." He called on opposition forces to clear landmines near the "humanitarian corridor" and provide civilians with the opportunity to evacuate Eastern Ghouta.

The United Nations is willing to deliver essential goods

In the view of BBC Middle East News Editor Jeremy Bowen, although Russia’s humanitarian ceasefire does not fully implement the United Nations Security Council resolutions, if it can Implementation is the best news for the residents of Eastern Ghouta.

United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on the 26th: "A ceasefire of five hours is better than no ceasefire, but what we hope is to stop all hostilities within 30 days, as written in the Security Council resolution "

However, Dujarric said that the United Nations is willing to use the "humanitarian break" to provide humanitarian assistance to the civilians in Eastern Ghouta. "We will try our best... to send trucks and trucks to this area. aid workers”.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, based in Geneva, Switzerland, said it welcomed any move to allow civilians to leave voluntarily and to evacuate patients. Peter Salama, deputy director-general of the World Health Organization, said that 750 patients need to be evacuated from Eastern Ghouta immediately.

International Committee of the Red Cross spokesperson Yolanda Jacqueme said that these alone are far from enough. Humanitarian convoys are needed to deliver medicines, medical supplies, food, water purification materials and other necessities to Eastern Ghouta. .

“Nearly 400,000 people live here, and the humanitarian needs are huge.” She said.

The United States continues to accuse Russia of not complying with Security Council resolutions and requires Russia to exert "influence" to completely suspend the military attack by the Syrian government forces on the opposition forces in Eastern Ghouta.