Residents in Syria's eastern Ghouta face tightened siege
The Syrian regime tightened its siege on eastern Ghouta, and the infighting within the opposition factions will likely contribute to the regime’s seizure of Ghouta.
Mona Mohammed has been trying to adapt to a new lifestyle that was imposed on her by the Syrian regime's siege of eastern Ghouta, to the east of Damascus, on March 21.
Mohammed, a teacher based in the city of Douma — the most populated city in opposition-controlled Ghouta — has been forced to bake at home and cook on firewood due to the lack of gas and the exorbitant price of bread. She rushes to recharge her electronic devices as soon as the generators start operating, because generators, the only source of electricity, only run for about 1½ hours whenever residents have the fuel to power them.
“Ever since the regime closed the al-Wafideen checkpoint, the living conditions have been getting worse by the day,” she told Al-Monitor.
On March 21, the regime forces closed the al-Wafideen crossing, which is named after a nearby Palestinian refugee camp. This crossing served as an outlet from which the opposition forces in eastern Ghouta brought in essential supplies, though the regime had control over the type and size of these supplies.
