Syrians boarded buses to leave a ravaged pocket of Eastern Ghouta on Sunday, in a new wave of evacuations to clear another part of the former rebel bastion. Five weeks since the regime launched an all-out assault on Ghouta, it holds more than 90% of the region. To help it capture the rest, Russia has mediated talks with various groups to negotiate withdrawals from the three remaining pockets.
7,000 to move away
One area was emptied under such a deal in recent days and evacuations began late on Saturday for a second part, held by the Islamist Faylaq al-Rahman rebel faction. That agreement is set to see some 7,000 rebels and civilians taken from the towns of Arbin and Zamalka and the district of Jobar to the rebel-dominated province of Idlib. After hours of delay, around 980 of them quit Ghouta on Saturday night aboard 17 buses and several ambulances.
Under the first deal, hard-line Islamist group Ahrar al-Sham agreed to quit the town of Harasta. More than 4,500 people, including over 1,400 fighters, left Harasta for Idlib over the course of Thursday and Friday. Talks are also under way for a deal over the third and final pocket of Ghouta, held by Jaish al-Islam, which includes the region's largest town, Douma.
