Syria Today: What Happened in Regime “Evacuation” of 5000+ From Adra?

A story from the town of Adra, 12 miles north of Damascus, capturing the confusion, information & propaganda, and tragedy of Syria’s conflict….

The regime claimed on Sunday that it had evacuated more than 5,000 civilians from Adra, following an insurgent offensive in which the opposition has taken over most of the town.

Minister of Social Affairs Kinda al-Shammat said, “The citizens who have been evacuated are now in a safe haven as the ministry formed a relief operations’ room with the cooperation of Damascus countryside governorate to offer them the basic relief aid.”

However, a different version of events was given by activists and sources on Monday.

They argued that civilians were trying to flee amid heavy regime bombardment of Adra, shelling which was verified by video from President Assad’s National Defense Force.

The sources said those taken into military custody had to hand over their IDs and were not able to move freely as they are kept in nearby schools. Activists alleged some men, mainly of fighting age, were detained.

Sources said it was insurgents trying to protect the civilians, as they fled from the bombardment towards the Homs highway and the industrial area.

State News agency SANA re-asserts this morning, in a feature accompanied by photographs, “Survivors of Adra Town: We Remained Several Days Without Food. Terrorists Seized Hundreds of People and Killed Tens”:

“We used to live in peace in this town, after we left our homes in Hijira town, but the armed terrorist groups entered the town and committed brutal crimes against hundreds of people; they have destroyed the houses and left entire families homeless,” Ali al-Bakkar said.

Subhi Salam, an 82-year-old man, said, “They [the terrorists] have looted our properties and attacked the women, and they have used us as human shields.. I am now 82 years old and I have never seen such painful days in my entire life.”

Mahmoud Khoulan, a father of six children, said, “My wife is sick; there is no electricity, no water and no food… we have stayed several days without food… it is hell!”