Syria conflict: Shelling as Eastern Ghouta 'pause' begins

A five-hour pause in the Syrian government's assault on the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus is under way, although both sides have reported fresh artillery attacks.

The government's ally Russia ordered the pause to allow civilians to leave.

It is not clear if agencies will also be able to deliver aid to the area, where 390,000 people have come under relentless bombardment in recent days.

The US has urged Russia to use its influence to secure a 30-day truce.

The UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution demanding a nationwide cessation of hostilities on Saturday, but it was not given a specific start date.

What is happening on the ground?

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, said the situation in the Eastern Ghouta had been relatively calm overnight.

But it reported that in the first two hours of the Russian-ordered "humanitarian pause", a number of shells hit the towns of Douma, Harasta and Misraba.The Syrian Civil Defence, whose volunteer rescue workers are widely known as the White Helmets, said one person was killed in Douma by shellfire. But the Syrian Observatory said the attack happened before the pause began.

The Syrian state news agency, Sana, reported that "terrorists" had shelled the route of the humanitarian corridor leading to the government-controlled al-Wafideen Camp, which is north-east of Douma, and were using "human shields".

The Syrian Red Crescent would help set up the humanitarian corridor and residents would be informed about how to leave via leaflets, text messages and videos, it added.

Buses and ambulances will be waiting at a crossing to evacuate the sick and wounded.

"Five hours is better than no hours, but we would like to see an end to all hostilities extended by 30 days, as stipulated by the Security Council," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told AFP news agency.

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it should consider carrying out air strikes in Syria if there was evidence that chemical weapons had been used.

"If we know that it's happened, and we can demonstrate it, and if there is a proposal for action where the UK could be useful, then I think we should seriously consider it," he told the BBC.

His comments came two days after a reported chlorine attack on the Eastern Ghouta. The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons, but UN experts are confident it has used chlorine and the nerve agent in Sarin in the past.