Fighting broke out east of Damascus between rebel and regime forces on Wednesday for the first time since both sides declared a ceasefire at the weekend, a war monitor said, with air strikes also hitting the besieged enclave, leaving a newborn killed.
Air strikes on three towns in East Ghouta killed a child and wounded 11 other civilians in Otaya suburb, taking the toll of wounded and dead to about 55 civilians in the last 48 hours, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The toll is expected to rise, Reuters reported.
On Tuesday, the Britain-based monitor reported the first civilian casualties since the Russian-backed truce began on Saturday.
Russia dismissed reports of air strikes on Tuesday as a "an absolute lie" meant to discredit its work in the de-escalation zone.
Wednesday's clashes happened around Ain Terma on the western edge of Eastern Ghouta.
On Tuesdya, three trucks carrying 10 tons of food rations and medicine entered into embattled Eastern Ghouta suburbs, the Russian task command in coastal Hmeimym airbase said.
8 civilians were killed overnight in Ghouta- the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Russia said it had deployed military police in the Eastern Ghouta on Monday to try to enforce a de-escalation zone it said it had agreed with the Syrian opposition there.
The regime army, with military support from Russia and Iran, has dealt the opposition a string of defeats around the capital over the last year, seizing back control of areas including Daraya and Moadamiya.
Eastern Ghouta, the only major rebel-held area near the capital, has been blockaded by Syrian government forces since 2013. It has shrunk considerably in size over the past year as the Russia-backed Syrian army has taken control of other rebel-held areas around Damascus.
