Jaish al-Islam said its rocket and artillery brigade were responding to what it described as a massacre by “the Assad militias and their ally the Russian warplanes”. State TV accused Jaish al-Islam of shelling a crossing out of eastern Ghouta and a residential area, saying this led to the air strikes. Defeated rebel groups in other parts of eastern Ghouta have accepted safe passage to opposition areas near the Turkish border. Mohammad Alloush, the Jaish al-Islam political official, said the group wanted to continue negotiations. Russian-backed government forces launched their offensive against eastern Ghouta in February.

Source: Egypt Independent April 06, 2018 18:33 UTC