Donald Trump discusses situation in Syria with Al Sisi over phone

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday discussed the situation in war-torn Syria with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, the White House said, with the two leaders airing concerns over "irresponsible" support of Russia and Iran to the brutal attacks on innocent civilians by the Bashar al-Assad's regime.

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The two leaders also discussed, over phone, opportunities to enhance the American-Egyptian partnership on a range of security and economic issues, and agreed to work together on ending the humanitarian crisis in Syria, the White House said.

According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 690 civilians have died in air strikes, artillery fire and rocket attacks on the besieged rebel stronghold of Eastern Ghouta over the past 15 days by the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

"The leaders discussed Russia and Iran's irresponsible support of the Assad regime's brutal attacks against innocent civilians," the White House said.

"Trump and Al Sisi agreed to work together on ending the humanitarian crisis in Syria and achieving Arab unity and security in the region," it said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the White House condemned the ongoing military offensive that the Assad regime, backed by Russia and Iran, is perpetrating against the people of Eastern Ghouta.

"After repeatedly delaying the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2401, which demanded a 30-day cessation of hostilities across Syria, Russia has gone on to ignore its terms and to kill innocent civilians under the false auspices of counterterrorism operations," the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. 

This is the same combination of lies and indiscriminate force that Russia and the Syrian regime used to isolate and destroy Aleppo in 2016, where thousands of civilians were killed, she said.

Between February 24 and 28, Russian military aircraft conducted at least 20 daily bombing missions in Damascus and Eastern Ghouta from Humaymim Airfield in northwest Syria, Sanders said.

"Pro-regime forces must immediately cease targeting medical infrastructure and civilians as part of the brutal campaign in Eastern Ghouta. The civilized world must not tolerate the Assad regime's continued use of chemical weapons," she said.

"The Assad regime, along with its backers in Moscow and Tehran, should adhere to UNSCR 2401, cease hostilities in and around Eastern Ghouta, and allow unfettered delivery of humanitarian aid to the nearly 400,000 innocent civilians in critical need," Sanders said.