Daraya is back under control of government
Evacuation is completed over 24 hours as conditions in town held for four years become too much for residents to bear
BEIRUT // The Damascus suburb of Daraya was back under government control yesterday after it was evacuated of rebel forces, their families and other civilians after four years of siege.
“The Syrian army completely controls Daraya and has entered all of the town. There isn’t a single armed man there,” said a military source.
Syria state television reported that the evacuation of Daraya had been completed in 24 hours and that the suburb was clear of gunmen. About 700 gunmen and 4,000 civilians left the suburb in a fleet of buses bound for Idlib province in northern Syria, which is under rebel control.
“The Daraya file is now closed after the evacuation of all the civilians, armed men and their families under the agreement” the TV broadcast announced, showing footage of army vehicles patrolling the streets.
About another 8,000 civilians were taken to government-run reception centres pending resettlement.
The loss of Daraya was a blow for the forces of the Syrian opposition.
It was one of the first towns in Syria to rise up against the government of Bashar Al Assad.
It was the last bastion of resistance to Mr Al Assad in the western Ghouta region, south-west of Damascus.
But after being surrounded by loyalist forces for four years and subjected to constant heavy bombardment, life in Daraya had deteriorated to intolerable levels.
Only one aid convoy carrying food reached Daraya. That was in late 2012 and even then, distribution was halted because of bombardment. Government and opposition forces negotiated an agreement to allow the evacuation to take place in safety. The government has adopted siege tactics in several areas with considerable success.
Long sieges have compelled opposition forces to abandon territory, which has encouraged the government to adopt “surrender or starve” tactics more widely.
Rebel fighters pulled out of Syria’s third city, Homs, last year under a similar deal.
Gaining control of Daraya was a boost for Mr Al Assad and increased the security of his seat of power in the capital.
Meanwhile, in Syria’s second city, Aleppo, a battle was in full flow.
Activists said at least 15 civilians were killed when helicopters dropped barrel bombs.
Hospital officials said the death toll from the two bombs dropped in the Bab Al Nairab neighbourhood was expected to rise. Mohammed Khandakani said one of the injured told him a barrel bomb was dropped as people paid their condolences for 11 children killed on Thursday in an air raid in the same neighbourhood.
Minutes later, Mr Khandakani said, another barrel bomb was dropped, injuring an ambulance driver. The Syrian government de- nied it used barrel bombs, but the Syrian army and its allies, the Russians, are the only forces operating helicopters over Aleppo.
Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations envoy to Syria, urged warring parties to state by today whether they will commit to a 48hour ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid into Aleppo.
He led global calls for the temporary truce the UN and aid groups such as the Red Cross said was needed to help civilians trapped in the middle of fighting between government and opposition forces.
Russia, which backs Mr Al Assad’s forces, endorsed the plan.
Control of Daraya a boost for Al Assad’s power in Damascus