Evacuation begins from Syria's rebel-held district of Homs
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 9 December 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Evacuation begins from Syria's rebel-held district of Homs, 9 December 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56813d98c.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
December 09, 2015
The evacuation of a rebel-held neighborhood in Syria's central city of Homs has begun under a deal brokered with President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Reports say three buses loaded with 150 people – mostly civilians, including women and children – left the city's Al-Waer neighborhood on December 9.
A total of 3,200 rebel fighters and their families are meant to be evacuated in last week's deal, which came a week after the start of an evacuation of the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Qudsayya.
Meanwhile, members of Syria's fractured opposition and rebel groups were meeting in the capital of Saudi Arabia on December 9 to try to forge a common stance at peace talks expected in the weeks ahead.
That gathering in Riyadh includes members of the powerful Islamist insurgent group Ahrar al-Sham, whose founders had links to Al-Qaeda.
However, Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, Al-Nusra Front, and the Syrian Kurds have not been invited.
Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa
Link to original story on RFE/RL website