Earlier in the day, spokesman for the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation Maj. Gen. Vladimir Zolotukhin said that groups of militants in Eastern Ghouta had started an open confrontation after Russia ordered for the Faylak al-Rahman militant group to be separated from Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization (banned in Russia) to further discuss their pullout from the area.
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The 14th humanitarian pause started in Eastern Ghouta on Monday at 07:00 GMT. Two humanitarian corridors were opened to withdraw civilians and militants. However, militants operating in the area continued shelling, therefore preventing the humanitarian operation from being carried out.
The situation in the besieged Damascus suburb has been complicated over the past weeks, as local militants continue to shell the area. On February 24, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2401 that urges all conflicting parties to immediately stop all hostilities and adhere to a long-term humanitarian pause across Syria in order to ensure the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as medical evacuation of those injured. Russia also proposed an initiative of organizing a five-hour daily humanitarian pause to ensure humanitarian supplies and evacuations from the area.