国际英语资讯:Syrian army airdrops leaflets over Eastern Ghouta to urge civilians to leave, rebels to surr_时事

国际英语资讯:Syrian army airdrops leaflets over Eastern Ghouta to urge civilians to leave, rebels to surr

In addition, the Syrian army also reaffirmed that the government has no chemical weapons and is not planning to obtain such weapons or using them.

The rebels in Eastern Ghouta previously accused the Syrian army of using chlorine gas in their attacks on the rebel-held region.

Western countries, such as the U.S. and Britain, have warned that they would respond with military action if the Syrian army is proven to have used chemical weapons in its attacks.

The UN organizations have already sounded the alarm about the situation in Eastern Ghouta, where 400,000 people are believed to be trapped in the sprawling area.

A couple of months ago, al-Qaida-linked groups launched an offensive against a key military base in the city of Harasta in Eastern Ghouta, prompting a counter-military offensive in the area.

These attacks were coupled with rebels' shelling of Damascus, while the government troops retaliated by launching airstrikes targeting rebel positions in Eastern Ghouta.

The situation has dramatically worsened in recent days, creating a humanitarian crisis that has attracted the international attention, as the life in Damascus' eastern neighborhoods near Eastern Ghouta has been largely paralyzed by heavy mortar shellings.

Eastern Ghouta has long been the major threat to Damascus, with rebels keeping launching attacks at the capital.

Four major rebel groups are currently positioned inside Eastern Ghouta, namely the Islam Army, Failaq al-Rahman, Ahrar al-Sham and the Levant Liberation Committee (LLC), otherwise known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.