Evacuations start from rebel-held Aleppo

ALEPPO, Syria: A convoy of ambulances and buses left rebel territory in Aleppo on Thursday in the first evacuations under a deal for opposition fighters to leave the city after years of fighting.
The rebel withdrawal will pave the way for President Bashar al-Assad’s forces to reclaim complete control of Syria’s second city, handing the regime its biggest victory in more than five years of civil war.
A revived agreement on a ceasefire and the evacuations was announced on Thursday, after an initial plan for civilians and fighters to leave rebel-held parts of east Aleppo collapsed the previous day amid renewed clashes.
Evacuees spent several hours gathering at a staging area with assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross then, around 2:30 pm (1230 GMT), an AFP correspondent in the city saw the first vehicles leave rebel territory.
The slow-moving convoy of around two dozen vehicles snaked out of Al-Amiriyah district in southern Aleppo and crossed into government-held Ramussa.
An AFP correspondent at the staging area said people were piling onto the buses, filling seats and even sitting on the floor, with some worried that there would not be another chance to evacuate.
Many were in tears and some hesitated to board the buses, afraid they would end up in the hands of regime forces.
The convoy was led by vehicles from the ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, followed by ambulances and then green government buses.
Ingy Sedky, the ICRC’s spokeswoman in Syria, said the first convoy included 13 ambulances and 20 buses carrying civilians.
“They have crossed the front line and are on their way to rural parts of western Aleppo” province, including the opposition-controlled town of Khan al-Aassal, she told AFP.
“Once the convoy arrives safely it will return and collect more people for a second journey and continue like that. We will go today for as long as conditions allow.”
Syrian state television reported that at least 4,000 rebels and their families would be evacuated under the plan.
A first evacuation expected to take place on Wednesday morning fell apart, with artillery exchanges and resumed air strikes rocking the city until the early hours of Thursday.
But the agreement, brokered by Syrian regime ally Moscow and opposition supporter Ankara, was revived following fresh talks.
The defence ministry in Moscow said that Syrian authorities had guaranteed the safety of the rebels leaving the city.
The head of the UN-backed humanitarian taskforce for Syria, Jan Egeland, told reporters in Geneva that “most” of those evacuated from Aleppo would be headed to opposition stronghold Idlib, in Syria’s northwest.
Egeland said the UN had two humanitarian hubs set up in the province.
“Russians and others assure us that there will be a pause in the fighting... when we assist the evacuation,” Egeland said.
The evacuation was going ahead despite reports earlier Thursday of pro-regime forces firing on an ambulance transporting the injured to Al-Amiriyah, wounding three people including a member of the White Helmets civil defence organisation.
On Wednesday, cold and hungry civilians had gathered for the initial planned evacuation but were instead sent running through the streets searching for cover as the fighting resumed.

Evacuations start from rebel-held Aleppo

ALEPPO, Syria: A convoy of ambulances and buses left rebel territory in Aleppo on Thursday in the first evacuations under a deal for opposition fighters to leave the city after years of fighting. The rebel withdrawal will pave the way for President Bashar al-Assads forces to reclaim complete control of Syrias second city, handing the regime its biggest victory in more than five years of civil war. A revived agreement on a ceasefire and the evacuations was announced on Thursday, after an initial plan for civilians and fighters to leave rebel-held parts of east Aleppo collapsed the previous day amid renewed clashes. Evacuees spent several hours gathering at a staging area with assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross then, around 2:30 pm (1230 GMT), an AFP correspondent in the city saw the first vehicles leave rebel territory. The slow-moving convoy of around two dozen vehicles snaked out of Al-Amiriyah district in southern Aleppo and crossed into government-held Ramussa. An AFP correspondent at the staging area said people were piling onto the buses, filling seats and even sitting on the floor, with some worried that there would not be another chance to evacuate. Many were in tears and some hesitated to board the buses, afraid they would end up in the hands of regime forces. The convoy was led by vehicles from the ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, followed by ambulances and then green government buses. Ingy Sedky, the ICRCs spokeswoman in Syria, said the first convoy included 13 ambulances and 20 buses carrying civilians. They have crossed the front line and are on their way to rural parts of western Aleppo province, including the opposition-controlled town of Khan al-Aassal, she told AFP. Once the convoy arrives safely it will return and collect more people for a second journey and continue like that. We will go today for as long as conditions allow. Syrian state television reported that at least 4,000 rebels and their families would be evacuated under the plan. A first evacuation expected to take place on Wednesday morning fell apart, with artillery exchanges and resumed air strikes rocking the city until the early hours of Thursday. But the agreement, brokered by Syrian regime ally Moscow and opposition supporter Ankara, was revived following fresh talks. The defence ministry in Moscow said that Syrian authorities had guaranteed the safety of the rebels leaving the city. The head of the UN-backed humanitarian taskforce for Syria, Jan Egeland, told reporters in Geneva that most of those evacuated from Aleppo would be headed to opposition stronghold Idlib, in Syrias northwest. Egeland said the UN had two humanitarian hubs set up in the province. Russians and others assure us that there will be a pause in the fighting... when we assist the evacuation, Egeland said. The evacuation was going ahead despite reports earlier Thursday of pro-regime forces firing on an ambulance transporting the injured to Al-Amiriyah, wounding three people including a memberof the White Helmets civil defence organisation. On Wednesday, cold and hungry civilians had gathered for the initial planned evacuation but were instead sent running through the streets searching for cover as the fighting resumed.