The Syrian government launched Operation Damascus Steel to retake Eastern Ghouta from the rebels. The campaign started on February 18th with a huge bombardment in the area. War monitoring groups estimate at least 12 to 15 hundred civilians have been killed by air and ground assault ever since.

The UN Security Council adopted a 30-day ceasefire on February 24th to deliver humanitarian aid to the 40-thousand trapped civilians, but airstrikes by the government still continued. Rebels also used civilians as human shields until the UN worked with government and Russia to open up an evacuation corridor around the beginning of March. According to the Russian military, at least 100-thousand civilians have been safely evacuated.