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DAMASCUS, April 8-- It seems like the decision to completely end the presence of rebels in Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus is serious, as the rebels' latest attempt to stay in their last stronghold in Douma didn't work out and was met with a ferocious response. A fresh agreement between the Islam Army and the Syrian government under the mediation of Russia was reached on Sunday, after two days of an intense military showdown in Douma, the last rebel-held area in Eastern Ghouta. The escalation of battles came against the backdrop of the rebels' failure to live up to their previous pledges to leave Douma toward the rebel-held city of Jarablus and release the kidnapped people to the government side. But after over 2,963 rebels of Islam Army and their families evacuated Douma in three batches earlier this month, the fourth batch didn't leave as planned on Friday, with the state media in Syria saying the conflict among the Islam Army commanders was the reason. Later on, the militants started firing mortar shells on the capital and suspended the release of thousands of kidnapped people from their captivity, which later appeared to be a new bid to adjust the previous deal reached with Russia. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Islam Army rebels who evacuated Douma faced difficulties when reaching areas under the control of the Turkey-backed rebels in northern Syria. Instead, the militants wanted to stay in Douma while keeping their weapons with them, contrary to what had been agreed upon previously that the rebels must hand over their heavy and medium weapons to the government side ahead of evacuating Douma. | 
