Following the launch of the Syrian Army offensive on the 25th of February, the forces of Syrian President Basher Al-Assad, backed by Iranian and Russian forces, have managed to smash the long-lived Ghouta pocket.
Even though the pocket is actually in the Syrian capital of Damascus and its surrounding suburbs, it has been controlled by Jihadist Sunni rebels since the start of the Syrian civil war, because attacking it would result in high civilian casualties and possibly provoke more Western intervention in the war.
The attack is taking place now because the position of the Syrian government has greatly strengthened in the last year. Assad clearly feels strong enough to risk Western retaliation.
The latest reports suggest that Assad's "Tiger" assault forces have smashed the rebel pocket into three smaller pockests, based on the suburbs Hirista (1), Duma (2), and Zamalka (3).
