THE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR ESCALATES AND IT'S ALMOST AS IF NO ONE REALLY CARES ANYMORE

THANKS FOR WATCHING! From wikipedia: Initial bombardment[edit] On the evening of 18 February 2018, heavy artillery and airstrikes began targeting the rebel-held East Ghouta enclave.[2] The Syrian Air Force launched large-scale air raids over the region, with warplanes reportedly striking rebel defensive positions in and around the district towns of Douma, Hamouriyah, Saqba, Mesraba, and Shifounyah. Accompanying artillery shelling and rocket strikes pounded rebel territory.[20] By the following day, the strikes had reportedly killed 94 civilians.[21] Concurrently, government troops prepared for a ground assault, establishing positions on both the western and eastern axis of the pocket.[15][22] Early rebel mortar attacks on central Damascus killed one civilian.[21] Around midnight between 19 and 20 February, the Russian Air Force joined the offensive as well, targeting several rebel-held districts.[10] On 22 February, the SAA dropped leaflets over Ghouta, calling on residents to leave the area and urging opposition fighters to hand themselves over.[23] Meanwhile, a total of 19 civilians were killed and about 128 were wounded in retaliatory rebel rocket attacks on Damascus between 18 and 25 February.[14] On 24 February, despite the adopted resolution by the UN Security Council on a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, it was reported that airstrikes continued after the vote.[24] Ground assault[edit] At around 08:30 A.M. on the morning of 25 February, a ground assault began with SAA forces capturing multiple points around the Air Defense Battalion on the southeastern front of the pocket while approaching Hazrama and Tal Farzat.[25] Not long after, the SAA captured the towns of Al-Nashabiyah and Hazrama, the village of Al-Salihiyah, and the hilltop of Tal Farzat from Jaysh al-Islam fighters – continuing the advance towards Hawsh Zariqiyah.[3][26] The assault came hours after the United Nations Security Council called for a 30-day truce,[27] At around 10:00 A.M., an assault on a new axis commenced with Army units attacking the rebels on the Harasta-Arbeen front in the northwestern part of the pocket.[28] The Army's 4th Division reportedly broke into the rebel-held Al-Ajami district of Harasta, capturing some buildings in the area.[29] Meanwhile, the village of Hawsh Dawahra was captured in the east of the pocket.[30] Among the Army's weapons used to level entire areas of rebel trenches and fire support positions was the UR-77 (УР-77) Mineclearing System.[31] The same day as the ground assault started, a video surfaced of the Syrian Army's Brigadier General Suheil al-Hassan speaking to government troops in Damascus, while being guarded by Russian and Syrian soldiers. During his speech, al-Hassan said: “Damascus awaits you, to dress her in victory… With God we will be victorious, and with faith we will be victorious. Remember that each one of you decided to fight to defend the truth, dignity, and to save Syria and its people”.[32] Humanitarian consequences[edit] 250 people were reportedly killed within the first two days of the opening bombardment phase, the highest 48-hour death toll in the Syrian conflict since the 2013 chemical attack on eastern Ghouta.[33] According to a medical worker, the situation forced doctors to use expired drugs, including anesthetics, because they had no other option.[34] On 21 February, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported 260 people had been killed since the night of 18 February,[35] with 106 killed on 20 February alone.[36] According to Doctors without Borders, 13 hospitals and clinics had been destroyed or damaged because of the airstrikes.[37] On 22 February, Panos Moumtzis, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Syria, reported that "80 percent of the population of the town of Harasta was living underground".[38] The same day, the number of hospitals and clinics stricken had grown to 22 as medics and doctors stated that "the medical system in eastern Ghouta is near collapse", and that only three facilities remained fully operational.[39] International organizations claimed there was "clear evidence that hospitals were deliberately targeted".[39] International organisations claim there was clear evidence that hospitals were deliberately targeted. [40] On 23 February, it was reported that one journalist, Abdul Rahman Ismael Yassin, died from injuries sustained in a February 20 airstrike.[41] Between 18 and 24 February, more than 520 civilians were killed and 2,500 wounded in the Eastern Ghouta area due to the Syrian government's and Russia's air and artillery strikes.[42] On 24 February, MSF warned that "casualty numbers in Syria’s besieged East Ghouta enclave are soaring beyond imagination as the capacity to provide healthcare is in its final throes".[43] On 25 February, 1 baby was killed and 11 people wounded by a suspected chlorine attack. [44]