Syrian rebels in Eastern Ghouta will defend the territory and there are no negotiations over a withdrawal that has been proposed by Russia, the military spokesman for one of the main eastern Ghouta rebel groups said Wednesday.
"There are no negotiations about this subject. The factions of Ghouta and their fighters and its people are holding onto their land and will defend it," Hamza Birqdar told Reuters in a text message.
Russia, President Bashar Assad's most powerful ally, has offered to give rebel fighters safe passage out of eastern Ghouta, near the capital, Damascus, with their families and personal weapons.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Wednesday that the Syrian regime has sent reinforcements to join the battle for the territory, intensifying efforts to defeat the rebels.
The Observatory said at least 800 fighters with pro-Syrian government militias had arrived at the frontlines in eastern Ghouta. Government forces have seized some 45 percent of the territory in recent days, it said.
Failaq al-Rahman rebel group on Tuesday accused Russia of seeking to forcibly displace the population of the Eastern Ghouta after Moscow said it would give opposition fighters and their families safe passage out of the area.
"Moscow insists on military escalation and imposing forced displacement" in eastern Ghouta, Wael Alwan, the spokesman told Reuters on Tuesday.
Syrian regime bombardment on Eastern Ghouta suburbs killed at least 70 civilians on Tuesday, rescuing group and activists said.
Eastern Ghouta, home to some 400,000 people, has been under a crippling siege and daily bombardment for months. More than 700 civilians have been killed in the last two weeks alone.
The Security Council Saturday called for a 30-day countrywide truce. Russia, which backs the Syrian regime in the war, has instead called for daily humanitarian ceasefires from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More than 470,000 people have been killed and 12 millions have been driven from their homes since Syria's revolution erupted in 2011.
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