The Syrian army intensified its offensive in eastern Ghouta, with advances that had reportedly splintered the enclave. Syrian state television broadcast from inside Mesraba, a town that was captured over the weekend by Assad’s army, which is situated along a main road connecting the northern and southern halves of the rebel-held territory. While rebel officials have denied the successful advance by the Syrian military, intelligence analysts monitoring the situation have told TV7 that the relentless tactics by Assad’s forces and their Iranian-backed allies will likely bring about a successful outcome for Damascus within several weeks. That said, the assault on the last major rebel-held stronghold near the Syrian capital comes with a heavy price, with more than one thousand civilians reportedly killed.
