Rebels, civilians evacuate long-besieged Damascus suburb

DARAYA: Syrian rebels and their families began evacuating the besieged Damascus suburb of Daraya last night, under a deal agreed with the government after a fouryear army siege.

The fighters and their families left the devastated town on buses accompanied by ambulances and Red Crescent vehicles, a reporter at the scene said.

The first bus to emerge from the town carried mostly children, elderly people and women.

A military source said around 300 rebels and their families were also to be evacuated from Daraya on the first day of the evacuation last night. The evacuation, which is part of a deal between the government and opposition fighters in Daraya announced on Thursday, is expected to continue throughout today.

Rebels are being allowed to leave with their personal weapons and have been promised safe transit to opposition-held Idlib city.

Civilians are expected to be transferred to government-run reception centres for processing and resettlement.

The surrender of the Daraya suburb, which became an early symbol of the nascent uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, marks a success for his government, removing a persistent threat only a few kilometres from his seat of power.

The suburb has been besieged and blockaded by government forces, with only one food delivery by the United Nations allowed to reach the district during this time.

The development comes as US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Geneva yesterday for talks with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. The talks centre on proposals to share intelligence and coordinate militarily with Russia against the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda in Syria and Iraq. Russia and Iran are strong backers of Mr Assad and have been accused of targeting Western-backed rebel forces.

Located just southwest of Damascus, Daraya has been pummelled by government air strikes, barrel bombs and fighting over the years.

A journalist who entered the suburb from its northern entrance saw a landscape of severely damaged and deserted buildings, some of them charred.

Black smoke rose on the horizon — caused by the rebels burning their belongings before evacuating, according to Syrian army soldiers.

Under the deal, the government is to allow safe exit to 700 gunmen out of Daraya and let them head to the opposition-held northern province of Idlib. Around 4,000 civilians will be taken to shelters in and around Damascus.

“Idlib will be their graveyard,” said a Syrian army soldier. “This is a precious moment for every Syrian.” The soldiers spoke on condition of anonymity.

Daraya, which lies in the western Ghouta region, has suffered thousands of helicopter-dropped unguided barrel bombs over the years. It is the latest area to surrender to government troops following years of siege. Opposition activists and human rights groups accuse the government of using siege and starvation tactics to force surrender by the opposition.

The UN’s humanitarian chief Stephen O’Brien told the UN Security Council earlier this year that severe food shortages were forcing some people in Daraya to eat grass. Residents had described burning plastic material to make fuel.

“No one will remain” here, said Hussam Ayash, a Daraya activist.

“We are being forced to leave, but our condition has deteriorated to the point of being unbearable.”