Civilians flee deadly fighting on edge of Ukraine rebel city

DONETSK, Ukraine –Terrified civilians fled as intense clashes Monday, July 21, between Ukrainian government troops and pro-Russian rebels left at least 3 people dead on the outskirts of the insurgent bastion of Donetsk.

Separatist fighters closed off the roads in the area around the train station and airport on the edge of the city as local residents escaped shelling and rocket fire in minibuses and on foot.

Local medical authorities said 3 people were killed in the fighting but could not specify if they were fighters or civilians, Interfax Ukraine news agency reported.

A rebel fighter told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) that government troops had attacked their positions close to the transport hubs at around 10 am (0700 GMT; 3:00 pm Philippine time).

“They came within about two kilometers (over one mile) of the station,” said insurgent gunman Volodya, 19.

A Ukrainian military spokesman told AFP that Kiev’s forces were pushing on with their “anti-terrorist” operation in the district around the airport, where government troops have maintained a foothold since a fierce battle in May.

“The active phase of the anti-terrorist operation is continuing vigorously in Donetsk,” military spokesman Vladislav Seleznev said.

“Donetsk airport and are around are now under our control. We are organising a corridor for the delivery of food and equipment to the airport,” he said.

City authorities warned residents in the area not to go outside or leave the confines of their homes and said the fighting had set a market ablaze close to the station.

“I live there, how can I get down to find my daughter,” begged one local, who identified herself as Tatiana, as rebels warned civilians back.

An AFP photographer gained access to the station and saw passengers boarding a train that was due to leave.

Several large columns of black smoke could be seen rising from the direction of the airport, along with the sound of intermittent mortar fire.

Sporadic clashes have taken place around the separatist stronghold as both sides have ignored calls for a ceasefire following Thursday’s downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in rebel-held some 60 kilometres (40 miles) from Donetsk.

A top rebel leader accused Ukrainian troops of starting clashes to try to hamper access to the crash site for international investigators now in the region.

“Kiev is doing everything it can to stop the experts coming and coincidentally fighting started in Donetsk today,” said Alexander Borodai, prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.

Borodai told journalists that rebels had evacuated 300 civilians from the neighbourhoods affected by the fighting and that there had been a “for now unknown number” of casualties.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Monday that he had given an order for government forces to “immediately” halt all military operations within a 40-kilometre radius of the crash site. – Rappler.com