Thousands flee Syrian rebel enclave

Thousands of civilians streamed out of a town in Syria’s besieged, opposition-held enclave of eastern Ghouta yesterday.

They were crossing on foot and in pick-up trucks and tractors to government-held territory near the capital, Damascus.

Footage on state-run Al-ikhbariya TV showed men, women and children walking out of the town of Hamouria carrying their belongings, including clothes and mattresses and suitcases.

The broadcaster showed a herd of sheep among the crowds

The channel said nearly 10,000 people left on Monday – the largest civilian exodus from eastern Ghouta since the government launched a punishing assault on the rebelheld region more than three weeks ago.

More than 1,200 civilians have been killed in government and Russian air strikes and rocket fire.

The mass exit came as Syrians marked seven years since the popular uprising that caused their country’s vicious civil war.