Article Response #14

Airstrikes and rocket fire 'kill 71' in Syrian rebel enclave

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says airstrikes, rocket fire and shelling have hit eastern Ghouta before a ground assault.

17:41, UK,Monday 19 February 2018

Image:A Syrian man carries an infant rescued from the rubble of buildings following the airstrikes in Hammuriyeh


More than 70 people have reportedly been killed and hundreds wounded as airstrikes, rocket fire and shelling by Syrian government forces and their allies hit a rebel enclave in eastern Ghouta.


It comes as pro-regime troops are expected to enter Afrin before the end of Monday to help the Kurdish YPG militia try to repel a month-old Turkish military assault.

The Syrian state news agency SANA said: "Popular forces will arrive in Afrin within a few hours to support its people's stand against the Turkish regime's attack on the area and its people.

"This comes in the framework of supporting residents and defending the territorial unity and sovereignty of Syria."
mage:Syrian men carry an injured victim amid the rubble of buildings following government bombings

Turkey's deputy prime minister Bekir Bozdag responded to the announcement of the forces by warning their arrival would give the "green light" to a divided Syria.

The foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said if the Syrian army came to defend the YPG "nothing and nobody can stop Turkish soldiers".

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed airstrikes, rocket fire and artillery across eastern Ghouta had killed 71 in the space of 24 hours, though other agencies said the figure was closer to 44.

The Observatory said 325 were wounded.

Among the dead, 20 were killed in airstrikes on Hammuriyeh and nine others in a bombardment on Saqba.

Four children were killed.

"The regime is bombing eastern Ghouta to pave the way for a ground offensive," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

There was no immediate comment from the Syrian military. The Damascus government has said it only targets militants.

The sound of the aircraft prompted Hammuriyah's residents to rush inside in a panic.

Alaa al-Din, a 23-year-old Syrian in Hammuriyeh, said civilians were afraid of a potential government offensive.

"Ghouta's fate is unknown. We've got nothing but God's mercy and hiding out in our basements," he told AFP on Monday.

"There's no alternative."

Afrin, on the border of Turkey, is held by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). Turkey sees their presence as a direct threat and launched Operation Olive Branch to pound the region.

Image:A Syrian woman and children run for cover after the airstrikes

The offensive has not been well-received by everyone, and officials have detained 786 people who have protested or criticised the military offensive.

Authorities renamed the street where the US embassy is based, calling it Olive Branch Street, instead of Nexvat Tandagon Street.

The US embassy said it was up to Turkish authorities to decide street names.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday afternoon, in a call where they confirmed their commitment to fighting "terrorism" in Syria.

Posted in:

 

• SYRIA

URL: https://news.sky.com/story/airstrikes-and-rocket-fire-kill-71-in-syrian-rebel-enclave-11258102 

My Response:
• Audience-  The intended audience i feel is to the general public as well the government showcasing the horrible acts that they are performing that are harming the citizens as well as destroying millions of peoples homes. 


• Bias-  There is some bias that could be possibly be that since this news network is British they may have some bias towards Syria and whatever happens there as well as the people who are attacking them.


• Purpose- I feel that the purpose of this article was to attack and show the negativity and negative effects through the use of ethos persuasion to showcase the terrors that these rocket attacks have had on Syria. 

• Opinion/ connections- In my opinion, i believe seeing the effects from the attack one being that many buildings and homes were destroyed in these attacks and 7 citizens as well as a couple of soldiers and probable a lot more injured i believe that this may be very frustrating to the people and making them angry because not only has this war carried on for more than 5 years, but also it's not really getting anywhere rather than crossfire and people dying over these pointless attacks. Which not that i think about it find it very sad that people arent willing to  see and think about the effects that these boiled over conflists have on its citizens and the environment around them.