Illustrative image: Sputnik
Infighting has erupted among militant groups in the Eastern Ghouta region, near the Syrian capital of Damascus, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on March 12.
“Open fighting between the members of illegal armed units is underway in the streets, civilians are forced to seek shelter not to accidentally become victims of hostilities,” Major General Vladimir Zolotukhin said.
He added that fighting erupted after the Russian military had demanded Faylaq al-Rahman to separate from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Jabhat al-Nusra).
Earlier Moscow proposed a safe passage out of Eastern Ghouta to militants willing to surrender their areas to the Syrian government.
