Syrian Militants Begin Darayya Exit (+Photos)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Syrian militants and their families began evacuating a long-besieged Damascus suburb Friday as part of an agreement reached with the government following four years of conflicts that left the suburb in ruins.
The surrender of Darayya marks a success for the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, removing a persistent threat only a kilometers miles from his seat of power. It provides a further boost for the Syrian army as it fights militants for control over Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.
Darayya’s militants agreed to evacuate in a deal late Thursday. Under the terms of the deal, around 700 gunmen will be allowed safe exit to the opposition-held northern province of Idlib, while some 4,000 civilians will be taken temporarily to a shelter south of Darayya.
The suburb has been besieged and blockaded by Syrian army, with food delivery by the United Nations allowed to reach the district during this time. It has been held by a coalition of ultraconservative militants, including the Martyrs of Islam Brigade.
As the first white bus with militants and their families emerged from Darayya, Syrian army soldiers swarmed the vehicle, shouting pro-Assad slogans.
Located just southwest of Damascus, Darayya has become one of the most heavily-bombed militant-held areas during Syria's conflict, which is now in its sixth year.
At least 48 green and white buses, eight ambulances and several Red Crescent and UN vehicles were lined up at the entrance of Darayya earlier Friday, waiting for the green light, the Associated Press reported.
An Associated Press journalist who entered the suburb from its northern entrance saw a landscape of severely damaged and deserted buildings, some of them charred. A group of uniformed soldiers celebrated, shouting pro-Syria slogans and flashing victory signs.
Black smoke rose on the horizon caused by the militants burning their belongings before evacuating, according to Syrian army soldiers.
Footage posted on the internet by a member of the Darayya local council shows a small group of a few dozen people milling about in a street lined with destroyed buildings. Surrounded by some meager belongings, they appear to be waiting to be evacuated. Women in full face cover are seen sitting on pieces of rubble while heavily bearded men walk about.
Under the deal, the government is to allow safe exit to hundreds of gunmen and their families out of Darayya and let them head to the militant-held northern province of Idlib. Civilians will be taken to Kisweh, south of Darayya.
“Idlib will be their graveyard,” said a Syrian army soldier. “This is a precious moment for every Syrian,” he added. The soldiers spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
Darayya is the latest militant-held area to surrender to government troops following years of siege.The first major truce deal was struck in the Damascus suburb of Moadamieh, west of Darayya, in 2014. It was followed by truces and ceasefires in Babila, Yalda, Barzeh around the Syrian capital – all deals that swung heavily in the government’s favor and pacified the region.
Last December, Syrian militants evacuated the last district they controlled in the central city of Homs. Militants there also headed to Idlib, handing the government a significant victory in central Syria.
