Tahmeed Taha: From three districts south of Syria’s capital, hundreds of rebels and civilians prepared to leave yesterday, state media said, under a negotiated withdrawal to secure the last opposition holdouts of Damascus. Empty buses were entering the towns of Babila, Yalda and Beit Saham, to be filled up with rebels and civilians who would head to opposition-held parts of northern Syria; Syrian state news agency SANA reported yesterday. The agency said, “Around 5,000 terrorists and their families are expected to leave, fulfilling an agreement reached on Sunday between the Syrian government and terrorist groups.” The government of Syria refers to all armedĀ opponents as “terrorists” though it did not specify which rebel factions were among the evacuees.According to a Britain-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the deal was reached after “negotiations between figures from the three towns on one side, and Russia and the regime on the other.” For several years Yalda, Beit Saham and Babila had fallen under a “reconciliation” agreement with the Syrian state, which means they remained in rebel hands but a local ceasefire was enforced. But securing the whole of the capital and its surroundings with a blend of military operations and negotiated withdrawals have been sought by regime forces; after capturing the Eastern Ghouta rebel stronghold outside Damascus last month. They seized control of other “reconciled” towns east of Damascus first; and then began a military operation against Yarmuk. According to SANA, it is still expected by that deal to see some 5,000 people leave the two villages, Fuaa and Kafraya.
Source: AFP