By Esref Musa, Omer Koparan and Adham Kako
AL-BAB/IDLIB, Syria (AA): The 18th convoy carrying civilians and rebel fighters from the city of Douma in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta arrived in Aleppo’s Al-Bab district on Wednesday, according to Anadolu Agency correspondents on the ground.
Meanwhile,Syria’s government army has taken full control over the city of Douma that was held by the Jaysh al-Islam group and now entire Eastern Ghouta is under control of government forces, chief of the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria Yuri Yevtushenko said on Thursday.
The convoy of 85 buses carried 3,860 people, including 1,500 children and 1,021 women, who will be brought to Azaz district from Al-Bab and will be provided with temporary accommodation in refugee camps.
With this convoy, the number of those evacuated from Eastern Ghouta since the process began on March 22 has surpassed 56,000.
Evacuations from Douma will continue, according to Anadolu Agency correspondents on the ground.
Evacuations are being carried out as part of a Russian-brokered agreement between Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime and armed opposition groups.
On Feb. 24, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2401, which called for a cease-fire in Syria — especially in eastern Ghouta — to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Despite the resolution, however, the regime and its allies in early March launched a major ground offensive — backed by Russian forces — aimed at capturing opposition-held parts of the district.
Since Feb. 19, more than 1,400 people have been killed in attacks in eastern Ghouta, according to local civil-defense sources.
Since late February, more than 41,000 people have left Douma, and more than 165,000 – Eastern Ghouta. As many as 250 hostages kept by militants have been released.
Additional Report from Tass News Agency
[Photo: Syrian civilians and rebels from city the of Duma, Eastern Ghouta, arrive in Al-Bab district of Aleppo, Syria on April 10, 2018.
Photographer: Hüseyin Nasır/AA]
