MOSCOW, March 4. /TASS/. Militants in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta announced curfew for time of humanitarian pauses and outlaw the civilians’ mass rallies, Maj Gen Vladimir Zolotukhin, a representative of the Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria, told reporters on Sunday.

"According to the information, the Center has receive, participants of the illegal armed groups in Eastern Ghouta have announced curfew for civilians for the time of humanitarian pauses," he said. "The locals, who violate these regulations, undergo public punishments."

The militants also banned mass rallies, so that the locals could not breakthrough towards the humanitarian corridor.

The sixth humanitarian pause began in Eastern Ghouta at 09:00 local time on Sunday. The militants continue holding the locals from crossing the humanitarian corridor. Only two children managed to use the corridor in the past humanitarian pauses. On Saturday, the militants’ sharpshooters fired on the humanitarian corridor, where they injured three civilians.

Humanitarian corridor

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu on Monday said that on instructions from Russian President Vladimir Putin a daily humanitarian pause was introduced in Eastern Ghouta (a suburb of Damascus) from 09:00 to 14:00 local time, starting from Tuesday, February 27. In the village of Al-Wafideen, the Syrian authorities and the Russian center for reconciliation of warring sides created conditions for civilians evacuating along the only humanitarian corridor connecting Damascus and Eastern Ghouta.

The humanitarian pauses were derailed by militants in the first days, the Russian center said. Terrorists opened mortar fire on the safe exit from the area. In addition, residents are being forcibly held in Eastern Ghouta controlled by terrorists and are threatened with death for wishing to flee it.