ALEPPO, Syria — Syrian regime forces continue to bomb cities and villages in Eastern Ghouta in Rif Dimashq, despite the de-escalation agreement the armed opposition forces and the Syrian regime reached in Cairo under the auspices of both Russia and Egypt on July 22. The opposition-controlled Jobar neighborhood in Damascus was heavily bombarded by the Syrian regime with six surface-to-surface missiles Sept. 14, with no injuries inflicted, while a number of civilians were wounded by artillery shelling targeting the city of Ain Tarma in Eastern Ghouta on the same day.

The shelling of towns and cities in Eastern Ghouta is accompanied by military operations launched by the Syrian regime forces against the armed opposition in Jobar and around Ain Tarma. As a result, al-Rahman Legion, one of the largest military factions operating in Eastern Ghouta, spoke on Sept. 10 about the possibility of calling off the cease-fire agreement in the region should the Syrian regime forces refuse to show commitment to the pact.

Muwafaq Abu Ghassan, the director of al-Rahman Legion’s media office, told Al-Monitor, “Ever since the cease-fire came into effect, the regime forces have not once stopped bombing Eastern Ghouta. They tried to break into Jobar neighborhood and Ain Tarma city on several occasions, but all their attempts failed.”

He added, “We knew the Syrian regime would never abide by the agreement, but the guarantees the Russians provided made us believe that this time could be different and the cease-fire could stand.”