Syrians quit Ghouta as talks for last pocket stutter ~ AJJ News

Saturday 31 March 2018

Syrians quit Ghouta as talks for last pocket stutter

March 31, 2018

Hundreds more Syrian rebels and civilians prepared Friday to leave Eastern Ghouta under a negotiated withdrawal, as Russia unilaterally announced a similar deal to empty the final pocket of the battered enclave. The former rebel bastion on the outskirts of Damascus has been drained by a nearly six-week Syrian government assault and two evacuation deals brokered by regime ally Moscow. Under such agreements, rebels agree to hand over territory in exchange for safe passage for them and civilians to opposition-held northwest Syria.