(Zaman Al-Wasl)- Russian military police have withdrawn from Douma, less than ten days of the Moscow-brokered evacuation deal, amid wide deployment for regime troops in the key town of Eastern Ghouta suburbs, local activists said Monday.
General Alexander Zourin, the Russian army officer who is responsible for Douma deal, pledged last week that the Russian military police would prevent any attempt by Assad troops to enter Douma.
On contrary, the surprise withdrawal to favor of the regime army was a clear threat for residents who fear reprisal.
Joint air strikes by U.S., France, and Britain pounded the regime chemical facilities at Saturday's dawn in retaliation to the Assad's chemical attack in Douma, which killed 78 civilians and injured hundreds of others.
The Russian military announced on Thursday that the regime is now in full control of Douma after deporting more than 3500 rebels with their families.
In relevant development, The head of the international chemical weapons watchdog says that regime and Russian officials are citing "pending security issues" in keeping its inspectors from reaching the site of an alleged gas attack.
Ahmet Uzumcu, the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said Monday that "the team has not yet deployed to Douma," two days after arriving in Syria.
He told an executive council of the OPCW that Syrian and the Russian officials who took part in meetings in Damascus told the team "that there were still pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place."
He said Syrian authorities were offering 22 people to interview as witnesses instead.
Uzumcu said he hoped "all necessary arrangements will be made ... to allow the team to deploy to Douma as soon as possible."
Zaman Al Wasl
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