1,800 people evacuated from Syria's Al-Waer to Idlib

HOMS, Syria

Nearly 1,800 opposition fighters and civilians have been sent to Syria's northwestern Idlib city from the Al-Waer district of the western Homs province amid repeated cease-fire violations by the Assad regime and its allies.

The fresh group of evacuees included 358 women and 434 children, according to an Anadolu Agency reporter in the area.

The evacuation was conducted under a Russia-backed deal struck between the Syrian opposition and regime with a view to transferring opposition fighters to Idlib or to other opposition-held areas near Aleppo city.

For years, the Al-Waer district has remained under a siege imposed by the regime. More than 20,000 people have applied to leave the district under the deal, which was concluded on March 13.

Under the agreement’s terms, at least 12,000 people will be transferred to Aleppo province; 6,200 to Idlib; and 2,400 to Homs.

Regime and Russian forces will assume responsible for the safety of those evacuated from Waer. A Russian military contingent will also be deployed in the district to supervise implementation of the agreement.

The Turkish Red Crescent and other Turkish aid agencies, meanwhile, will be responsible for evacuees’ safety in Aleppo and Idlib.

Since Syria’s civil war erupted in 2011, more than 250,000 people have been killed and millions displaced, according to UN figures.