Red Cross demands access to Eastern Ghouta's injured

Red Cross demands access to Eastern Ghouta's injured
The International Committee of the Red Cross has demanded access to the hundreds injured in days of Syrian regime bombing of Eastern Ghouta.
2 min read
21 February, 2018
Medical staff in Eastern Ghouta are struggling to cope with the carnage [AFP]

The Red Cross demanded access to the besieged opposition enclave of Eastern Ghouta Wednesday, which has suffered from days of horrific bombing. 

Barrel bombs and shells have rained down on the suburb over the past four days killing at least 300 civilians and wounded 1,400.

Six hospitals in the area have also been damaged or closed due to the bombardment, which began on Sunday.

Doctors are also lacking the medical equipment and supplies needed to cope with the crisis. 

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has demanded immediate access to the injured to prevent the death toll rising.

"The fighting appears likely to cause much more suffering in the days and weeks ahead, and our teams need to be allowed to enter Eastern Ghouta to aid the wounded," said Marianne Gasser, ICRC's head of delegation in Syria.

Around 400,000 civilians remain trapped in Eastern Ghouta, which has been under siege since 2013.

Read also: Photoblog - Pictures of extermination in Eastern Ghouta


The Syrian regime has only allowed one aid convoy to enter the territory this year.

The relentless bombing of the opposition suburb has left rescue workers and doctors unable to cope with the slaughter.

The ICRC wants the Syrian regime to allow its medical teams to enter and help assist local doctors before it’s too late.

"Wounded victims are dying only because they cannot be treated in time," Gasser said.

Eastern Ghouta has seen some of the worst of the violence in Syria's seven-year war with barrel bombing, shells and gas attacks repeatedly hitting the Damascus suburb since the start of the conflict.

Agencies contributed to this story.