Over the past five days, only two children managed to escape the terrorist-held Damascus suburb despite the introduction of daily humanitarian pauses, according to the Russian military.

Terrorists who control Eastern Ghouta have imposed curfew during humanitarian pauses and banned mass meetings of the civilians in order to prevent them from leaving the area through the humanitarian corridor, Russian Major-General Vladimir Zolotukhin stated on Sunday.

"The civilians who violate the militants' rules are subjected to public punishment," he pointed out.
The situation around the humanitarian corridor in East Ghouta has been tense recently with militants who entrenched themselves in the area constantly violating the truce regime and preventing civilians from escaping the besieged suburb. The militants also shell Damascus from East Ghouta regularly, causing damages to buildings and injuring civilians.

Maj. Gen. Yury Yevtushenko, a spokesman for the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation, said that civilians complain about hard living conditions under militants and repressions via the hotline. The residents report about the lack of food, medical supplies, ater and electricity.

On Saturday, snipers were firing at access routes to the humanitarian corridor to stop civilians from using it.
So far, six humanitarian pauses from 9:00 a.m. till 14:00 p.m. (07:00-12:00 GMT) have been declared in East Ghouta with the latest one being currently in effect. The residents are being informed via broadcasting, SMS, and leaflets about the ways to exit the areas controlled by militants and proceed to government checkpoints.
The aggravation of the situation followed the adoption of Resolution 2401 by the UNSC on February 24. The document that was passed unanimously calls on all warring parties in Syria to immediately stop fighting and adhere to a humanitarian pause so that humanitarian aid could be delivered to the areas affected by the clashes and injured civilians could be safely evacuated from there.