Biggest convoy yet evacuates Syria’s Ghouta

The largest convoy yet of rebel fighters and civilians evacuated from Eastern Ghouta arrived Tuesday in northwestern Syria, further emptying the onetime opposition bastion.

Government troops, backed by Russia and loyalist militia, launched a assault more than a month ago to retake the enclave on the outskirts of Damascus.

They have recaptured more than 90 percent of it and are draining the last rebel-held pockets through negotiated withdrawals brokered by Russia.

Two such deals have already seen thousands of rebels, their relatives and other civilians bused out of bombedout Ghouta districts to Idlib, a northwestern province most of which still escapes government control.

The largest numbers have quit the towns of Arbin and Zamalka, and the adjacent district of Jobar, all controlled by the Faylaq al-Rahman Islamist faction.

The group reached a deal with Moscow Friday and its implementation began the following morning with nearly 1,000 people boarding buses and leaving. Numbers have grown steadily since, with the biggest convoy yet departing in the early hours of Tuesday with more than 6,700 people aboard.

They arrived Tuesday afternoon at the Qalaat al-Madiq area of central Hama province, a staging ground frequently used in such deals, AFP’s correspondent there said.

That convoy brought the total number of evacuees from areas under Faylaq al-Rahman’s control to 13,165 people.

The group’s spokesman, Wael Alwan, has said as many as 30,000 people could be evacuated in all.