A DEAL has been reached to evacuate critically injured people from Douma, the last rebel-held town in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta region, according to reports.
The agreement follows negotiations between the rebel group Jaish al-Islam, civic leaders and Russia.
The wounded will be taken to Idlib, which is still in rebel hands.
“A partial agreement was reached to evacuate hundreds of civilians who wish to leave for Idlib,” Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Around 1,300 people would be evacuated under the deal, Rahman said, adding that talks on the fate of rebels who hold Douma were still underway.
A civilian committee taking part in the negotiations with Russia on Saturday said a deal had been reached “to evacuate humanitarian cases to northern Syria”.
The reports come after Syria’s army on Saturday vowed to finish off rebels in Douma, the main town in Eastern Ghouta.
A statement said the military would press on with “fighting in the area of Douma to rid it of terrorism”, in reference to the rebels.
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