Syrian forces have taken control of 25 percent of the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, where fierce fighting against rebels has been going on for several days, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced today.
President Bashar al-Assad's forces are located three kilometers from Douma, a large city in Ghouta, the observatory said, adding that the fighting is mostly taking place on agricultural properties, near the city center.
Since the beginning of the offensive in Eastern Ghouta on February 18, more than 640 civilians have been killed, including 152 children.
The conflict in Syria, which began on March 15, 2011, has become more complex with the arrival of foreign soldiers and jihadists. According to the observatory, more than 340.000 people died in that war.
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