HOMS, Syria
A fifth group of opposition fighters and civilians have left the Al-Waer district of Syria's western Homs province amid repeated cease-fire violations.
Some 2,124 people in buses left the district for the Zogora refugee camp in Aleppo's town of Jarabulus, which was captured from the Daesh terrorist group last summer during the Turkey-led Operation Euphrates Shield, according to Anadolu Agency reporters in the area.
The fresh group of evacuees comprised a total of 1,874 civilians, including 275 women and 510 children, along with 250 opposition fighters.
Turkey’s Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) provided aid to the group in Jarabulus.
The evacuation was conducted under a Russia-backed deal struck between the Syrian opposition and the regime which aimed to transfer opposition fighters to Idlib or to other opposition-held areas near Aleppo.
For years, the Al-Waer district has remained under 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 the Aleppo province; 6,200 to Idlib; and 2,400 to Homs.
So far, about 10,600 people have been evacuated from the Al-Waer district. Another 4,300 are expected to leave the district shortly.
The Assad regime and Russian forces are to assume responsibility for the safety of those evacuated from Al-Waer. A Russian military contingent is to supervise the implementation of the agreement.
The Turkish Red Crescent and other Turkish aid agencies, meanwhile, are responsible for the 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.
*Reporting by Halit Suleyman; Writing by Sibel Ugurlu
