MORE than 7000 people from two Syrian pro-government villages that were besieged by the rebels for three years have been evacuated, Syria’s state-run media has reported.
The emptying-out of villages of Foua and Kfarya under a deal negotiated between government forces and the rebels over the past few months marks one of the largest population transfers in Syria’s civil war.
In exchange, the Syrian government is expected to release a number of detained insurgents.
Al-Ikhbariya TV said all buses carrying residents of Foua and Kfarya had left the northern countryside of Idlib and that there were no more civilians there.
The evacuation of the villages was used as a negotiating chip in earlier population transfers along conflict lines.
The UN was not part of the negotiations and has criticised such transfers as forced displacement.
An agreement to evacuate Foua and Kfarya last year was halted after a car bombing killed over 100 people at a park for buses meant to bring the evacuees out.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here