Forces loyal to the Syrian President , Bashar - al -assad , have captured six villages and towns bordering the besieged rebel held enclave of eastern Ghouta, as hopes that a long planned humanitarian convoy might enter the area were dashed againy.
The Syrian observatory for human rights, a London based monitor, confirmed the latest advances, saying pro-regime government forces had siezed roughly a quarter of the enclave on the outskirts of Damascus in the recent days.