(Zaman Al Wasl)- A Russian-brokered evacuation deal reached between rebels of al-Waer neighborhood, last stronghold in central Homs city, and with regime after years of bombing and severe siege, local reporter said Monday.
Russia says about 1500 people, including 500 rebel fighters, to leave al-Waer in seven days, heading the northern countryside of Homs or Jarablus or Idlib province while others who want to stay will not being arrested or prosecuted later.
Russia said to deploy 100 troops to watch the deal and protect al-Waer from pro-regime militias.
During the negotiations, the key ally of Bashar al-Assad and the de facto ruler of Damascus provided no guarantees to halt bombing that killed about 50 civilians in the last four weeks.
Russia put a heavy weight on the besieged people to accept the deal, Mohamed Jouja, an opposition figure, said. Russia threatened to cancel the deal if residents will not accept the reconciliation with the regime
Last Monday, regime airstrikes killed two people and wounded dozen in al-Waer. Regime forces have extended its aerial and ground campaign on al-Waer since Feb 7, killing at least 49 people and wounding 470 more.
Al-Waer, the last rebel-held neighborhood in the western city of Homs, had for months been spared much of the intense violence raging elsewhere in the country, as the regime tried to conclude an agreement with insurgents there.
Damascus has tried to conclude a deal in al-Waer that would see rebel fighters and their families leave the district and the regime take over. Under similar local agreements in other parts of western Syria, rebels have left with light weapons and headed mostly for Idlib province.
The opposition says such agreements are part of a regime strategy to forcibly displace populations from opposition-held areas after years of siege and bombardment.
In September some 120 rebel fighters and their families left al-Waer in agreement with the government, but there have been no further reports of insurgents leaving. The Observatory estimates several thousand rebels remain there.
Russia says about 1500 people, including 500 rebel fighters, to leave al-Waer in seven days, heading the northern countryside of Homs or Jarablus or Idlib province while others who want to stay will not being arrested or prosecuted later.
Russia said to deploy 100 troops to watch the deal and protect al-Waer from pro-regime militias.
During the negotiations, the key ally of Bashar al-Assad and the de facto ruler of Damascus provided no guarantees to halt bombing that killed about 50 civilians in the last four weeks.
Russia put a heavy weight on the besieged people to accept the deal, Mohamed Jouja, an opposition figure, said. Russia threatened to cancel the deal if residents will not accept the reconciliation with the regime
Last Monday, regime airstrikes killed two people and wounded dozen in al-Waer. Regime forces have extended its aerial and ground campaign on al-Waer since Feb 7, killing at least 49 people and wounding 470 more.
Al-Waer, the last rebel-held neighborhood in the western city of Homs, had for months been spared much of the intense violence raging elsewhere in the country, as the regime tried to conclude an agreement with insurgents there.
Damascus has tried to conclude a deal in al-Waer that would see rebel fighters and their families leave the district and the regime take over. Under similar local agreements in other parts of western Syria, rebels have left with light weapons and headed mostly for Idlib province.
The opposition says such agreements are part of a regime strategy to forcibly displace populations from opposition-held areas after years of siege and bombardment.
In September some 120 rebel fighters and their families left al-Waer in agreement with the government, but there have been no further reports of insurgents leaving. The Observatory estimates several thousand rebels remain there.
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