Thousands more leave Syria's Ghouta

DAMASCUS - More than 6,000 people, including rebels and their families, evacuated from eastern Ghouta area in Syria's capital Damascus after Wednesday midnight, according to state-run Syrian Arab News Agency.

A total of 6,432 people, including 1,521 rebels, formed the forth batch of evacuees to leave areas in the central towns of eastern Ghouta, after a total of 13,000 rebels and their relatives had left that area in three batches since Saturday and moved to rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib.

The evacuees refused to reconcile with the Syrian government, whose forces have captured 90 percent of eastern Ghouta since a massive assault on an array of rebel groups was launched there late last month.

The latest evacuation took place in the towns of Arbeen, Jobar, Zamalka and Ayn Tarma, as all of these towns are largely controlled by the Failaq al-Rahman rebels, who agreed on Friday to negotiate their withdrawal under the Syrian military operation.

The group has asked to be allowed to leave the central areas in eastern Ghouta after the Ahrar al-Sham rebels did the same earlier this month in the town of Harasta in eastern Ghouta.

The deal, brokered by the Russians and reached on Friday between the rebels and the Syrian government, also demands the trapped residents be released from the rebel-held Douma district in eastern Ghouta area.

Eastern Ghouta, a 105-square-kilometer agricultural region consisting of several towns and farmlands, poses the last threat to the capital due to its proximity to government-controlled neighborhoods east of Damascus and ongoing mortar attacks that target residential areas in the capital, pushing people over the edge.

Eastern Ghouta lies within mortar range of Damascus, and rebels had repeatedly used it as a launchpad for rocket attacks on the capital.

Four major rebel groups are currently positioned inside eastern Ghouta, namely the Islam Army, Failaq al-Rahman, Ahrar al-Sham and the Levant Liberation Committee, known as the al-Qaidalinked Nusra Front.

UN humanitarian agencies have sounded the alarm about the worsening humanitarian situation for 400,000 people in that region.

As the Syrian army advanced in eastern Ghouta, tens of thousands of civilians have fled toward government-controlled areas for the first time in six years, with activists confirming at least 120,000 civilians have fled to safety so far.

At a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the failure of a 30-day ceasefire resolution adopted on Feb 24 should be a "day of shame" for council members.

Russia hit back that it was the only country working to turn the cease-fire into a reality on the ground in Syria.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council the departures were voluntary and that Moscow's forces were providing food, shelter and medical aid to those in need.

Xinhua - Reuters - Afp