Zabadani: the last rebels leave

Zabadani: the last rebels leave
By Catherine Hardy with REUTERS
Share this articleComments
Share this articleClose Button
Copy/paste the article video embed link below:Copy to clipboardCopied

The last rebels in the town of Zabadani near Damascus in Syria have either departed for insurgent-held regions or accepted government rule.

ADVERTISEMENT

The last rebels in the town of Zabadani near Damascus in Syria have either departed for insurgent-held regions or accepted government rule.

Pro-government media are reporting it is part of a reciprocal evacuation deal for besieged areas.

The details

A pro-government radio station is quoting a senior official in Zabadani as saying the area was empty of militants after the last batch of them had left on Wednesday morning.

A military media unit, run by Damascus ally Hezbollah and the UK-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also reported that evacuations had resumed and a convoy of 11 buses left army-besieged Zabadani.

The destinations

Insurgents and their families from Zabadani and Madaya near Damascus crossed to rebel-held territory.

Civilians and pro-government fighters from the Shi’ite villages near Idlib were taken by bus to government-controlled Aleppo.

The destinations

On Saturday, activists say a bomb attack on a convoy of evacuees from al-Foua and Kefraya killed 126 people, including more than 60 children.

Under the deal, civilians and pro-government fighters from the Shi’ite villages were travelling by bus to government-controlled Aleppo.

Insurgents and their families from al-Zabadani and Madaya near Damascu crossed to rebel-held territory, having first gone to Aleppo.

Three of Wednesday’s buses also carried wounded people from Saturday’s convoy attack.

Share this articleComments

You might also like

Syrian evacuation bomb blast death toll climbs

Evacuation begins of four besieged towns in Syria

Switzerland to radically boost defence spending as security threats increase