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Updated 7.22pm
A BABY GIRL was pulled alive from the rubble of a building in Syria today as bombing continued despite a UN Security Council demand for a ceasefire.
After days of diplomatic wrangling, the Security Council on Saturday adopted a resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria “without delay”, to allow for aid deliveries and medical evacuations.
The main rebel groups in Eastern Ghouta, where more than 500 people have died since the bombing campaign was launched a week ago, welcomed the UN vote and said they would abide by a ceasefire.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were to speak by phone today with Russian President Vladimir Putin — a key ally of Syria’s regime — to press for the implementation of the ceasefire “in the coming days”.
The bombing campaign on Eastern Ghouta, a rebel bastion on the eastern outskirts of Damascus, has been one of the heaviest of the seven-year civil war that has pitted President Bashar al-Assad’s regime against a range of rebel groups.
In Douma, the main town in Eastern Ghouta, residents woke to the sounds of fresh air raids and artillery strikes this morning, an AFP correspondent in the town said.
A video from the Syrian Civil Defence, also known as The White Helmets, shows the devastation caused by the bombing. It also shows the rescue of a baby girl, who was found alive under the rubble of a building in Douma city.
Regime air strikes and artillery have been pounding the enclave since 18 February, with at least 520 dead, including more than 100 children, according to the Observatory.
Resolution watered down
A woman was killed in artillery fire on the town of Hammuriyeh, said Abdel Rahman, whose group uses a network of sources across Syria to monitor the country’s conflict.
Abdel Rahman said there were also clashes in the south of Eastern Ghouta between regime forces and fighters from the Jaish al-Islam rebel group. Fighting in the area is frequent so it was not immediately clear if the clashes represented a change on the ground.
Eastern Ghouta, home to some 400,000 people, is surrounded by government-controlled territory and its residents are unwilling or unable to flee.
The two main rebel groups controlling the enclave — Jaish al-Islam and Faylaq al-Rahman — welcomed the Security Council demand, but vowed to fight back in case of renewed attacks.
Jaish al-Islam said it was “committed to protecting humanitarian convoys” but warned it would “immediately respond to any violation”.
Faylaq al-Rahman said in a statement: “We confirm our full commitment to the (UN) resolution… Nevertheless, we reserve the right to defend the civilians of Eastern Ghouta in case of renewed attacks.”
UN diplomats say yesterday’s Security Council resolution was watered down to ensure it was not vetoed by Russia, which has provided diplomatic and military support to Assad’s regime.
Language specifying that the ceasefire would start 72 hours after adoption was scrapped, replaced by “without delay,” and the term “immediate” was dropped in reference to aid deliveries and evacuations.
In another concession, the ceasefire will not apply to operations against the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda, along with “individuals, groups, undertakings and entities” associated with the terror groups.
Syria’s former Al-Qaeda affiliate is present in Eastern Ghouta and Assad’s regime routinely describes all of its opponents as “terrorists”.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who has described Eastern Ghouta under the bombardment as “hell on Earth,” said the ceasefire must be “immediately” implemented.
- © AFP 2018 with reporting by Michelle Hennessy.
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I have to say fair play to Mary Lou. I hope this is a further step in building better relations with our British neighbours across the water
@Sean Treacy: It’s help if the current leaders of the neighbours across the water were reasonable and genuine… But truth be told the Torys have obliterated the relationship on an official level.
@FiannaFáilness FineGaelness: it’d*
@Sean Treacy: I agree, and for once I can’t disagree with her, it’s a great gesture
@Sean Treacy: agreed, FairPlay ML. If we are ever to have a border poll these gestures need to be more frequent and meaningful.
@FiannaFáilness FineGaelness: TYR!!TS
@Sean Treacy: somehow I feel it has more to do with building better relations with our neighbours on this side of the water!
@Angela McCarthy: It’s neither, just pretending they are grown ups with shallow, meaningless utterances. Earlier in the week, her party put out another celebration of killers getting killed (this time a guy kidnapping a dog warden). Anyone who thinks this is anything but a front to unionists that SF are somehow tolerant is going to be sorely mistaking.
@Jaime: You don’t seem like you have an axe to grind at all. They’re the most popular party in the country. Time you swallowed that
@Jaime: but I’m sure her gesture to the queen of England will more than compensate for the killing of Mountbatten.
@Sean Treacy: Agree. Well done Mary lou
@John Mulligan: ye john. Lets not forget jimmy saville and Epsteine too
@John Mulligan: Monuntbatten the Paedophile!
Well bridges have to be built, no better person to do that other than Mary Lou McDonald.
@Declan Carr: Agreed 100% It’s great to see Mary Lou doing this, mind you I seem to remember Martin McGuinness shaking the Queen’s hand a number of years ago so this mightn’t be as groundbreaking as some excitable posters might have us believe.
@Declan Carr: Well Boris wants to build a bridge and a tunnel – to Scotland. he’s currently digging his way out of no 10,
@Declan Carr: Do you do stand-up comedy as well Declan, or is it just written satire?
@Justin Gillespie: Nothing wrong with your memory, Martin did shake hands with the Queen. I didn’t mention him, this is all about Mary Lou today.
@Angela McCarthy: I don’t think Boris will ever get the chance to build an orange bridge.
@Eoin Roche: scarlet for you
@Declan Carr: really!!
This is the leadership we need. Fair play to Mary Lou.
@padar: the leadership we need? Really?
@Disco Inferno:probably better than the leadership we have at the moment. So yeah. Really!!!!
@Paul Gorry: nah she is not the leadership we need at all. The leadership we currently have is far superior to this failed Fianna Fáil member.
@Frankie J: I thought all FF’ers were failures?
@Angela McCarthy: hardly, they’re still in government despite the apparent own goal shinners have.
Hard to have anything but respect for this particular queen of England, dropped into presiding over a dying empire aged 25 and just kept on rolling… I just hope she writes a biography before she snuffs it, you just know her thoughts on Boris and some other PMs are going to be absolute gold!
@Nameo Maximus: could not care less
@Philip foster: why comment on it then?, move on to the next article that interests you.
@Paul Gorry: are you a royalist?
@Philip foster: “could not care less”
If that was true you wouldn’t have responded.
@Nameo Maximus: She is not permitted to make political statements and it’s highly unlikely she would publish her thoughts on individual politicians she’s dealt with in her time. What I would like to see is an apology from her for what her government and armed forces did and continue to do to Irish people in their own country. Not “things could have been done differently”. Her country is responsible for millions of Irish deaths and must formally apologise before the world for its myriad war crimes in Ireland. Surely, we should work at repairing the relationship with England, but not to the point of obsequious subservience. We Irish are every bit as good as the British. I would argue that in many ways we are better, as neither Ireland nor its people ended the lives of over 200 million people [which Britain did during its empire period], simply to enrich the British capitalist élite. The old saying that “a fool is the Irish person who trusts the British” is as apt today as ever it was.
Mary Lou is the queen bee. Fair play mary.
now that’s progress
Wee Jeffrey and Sammy Wilson what you going to say now or will you just stop walking the Queens Highway.
@Joe Johnson: How is Jeffrey and the No – No’s going to respond to this with an election looming? Very loud silence I’d say.
Saint Mary Lou McDonald. Give me a break.
@Andy Dillon: And who was the person who called her ‘Saint Mary Lou’ Andy?
@Andy Dillon: she’ll be getting nominated for the Nobel Peace PriZe next !!
@ Justin Gillespie,
It’s pretty obvious from most of your comments where your loyalties (lie) ,keep up cheerleading for every political opponent of the Shinners.
Hopefully all your children can buy a home for themselves someday and hopefully you never get ill and have to depend on social welfare and in fairness what Mary Lou said was very generous especially to people who lived during the so called (troubles)in Ulster and indeed on the island.
@Paul Mc: Mary Lou for Taosieach 1
@Paul Mc: The hatred is strong in this one.
@Paul Mc: No pleasing some people, I commended Mary Lou for what she did and still the moaners moan.
I make no secret of the fact that I am not a Shinner, I am not alone in that just as there are loads of people who are.
I don’t slavishly support any political party and would be the first to say that the present governments record in housing and health is brutal.
I just don’t think a SF government would be any better in fact I think it would be calamitous for the country.
I may well be wrong, I suspect we will find out soon.
@David Corrigan: Indeed the hatred is high here. You can tell Mary Lou has hit a cord and done something right here, to bring them all out of woodwork. ha Ha
You can picture their faces upon reading the headline first. A few burst blood vessels and smashed keyboards. lol
She’s laying the ground work for when she is Taoiseach. Smart move Lou Lou.
Good gesture.
Well done Mary Lou
The leader of a so-called republican party praises a hereditary monarch and we think it’s a good thing?
Her lifetime of service consists of cutting ribbons, handing out awards, and being waited on hand and foot at one of her many palaces. Good grief!
@Lesidees: go and read a bit she’s done so much more . Ignorance is bliss
Why care about anything British
@Philip foster: Because we have too Philip.
@Paul Gorry: “to”
Definitely one of the best Monarchs they ever had, and they’ve had some doozies. Elizabeth the first, Henry the Eighth, Victoria. They’ve had a fair few nutters in their time alright.
Well done MLMcD. Take the high road.
But isn’t it strange how the name Bunting is so hunish??
She must be looking for a knighthood
Step forward Dame Mary
Eeh …..careful with that sword Lizzie.
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