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Aleppo: hopes raised that evacuation could soon resume Buses attacked en route to evacuation of Syrian villages
(35 minutes later)
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hopes to resume the evacuation of civilians and wounded people from east Aleppo on Sunday, a spokeswoman has said. Several buses en route to evacuate ill and injured people from the besieged Syrian villages of Fua and Kefraya have been attacked and burned, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syrian state television says.
Some buses, as well as Red Crescent vehicles, reached the entrance to the villages in Idlib province, which are besieged by insurgents.
Forces loyal to the president, Bashar al-Assad, are demanding people be allowed to leave the two villages, most of whose residents are Shia Muslims, in exchange for allowing evacuations of rebels and civilians from east Aleppo.
PHOTOS: Reports coming in that an "unknown rebel group" has attacked buses going to evacuate civilians from Kafraya and Fuah - @Ald_Aba pic.twitter.com/7xMPhumeu5
Syrian state media said “armed terrorists” had attacked five buses, burned and destroyed them.
The development came just hours after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it hoped to resume the evacuation of civilians and wounded people from east Aleppo on Sunday.
Thousands of people are left in the rebel-held enclave, some sleeping on the streets in freezing temperatures, after the evacuation ground to a halt on Friday following a disagreement with pro-government forces.Thousands of people are left in the rebel-held enclave, some sleeping on the streets in freezing temperatures, after the evacuation ground to a halt on Friday following a disagreement with pro-government forces.
The pro-Assad side were demanding the evacuation of two villages besieged by Islamist rebels. Rebels and a government official said a new deal that was being negotiated on Saturday to complete the evacuation of the rebel-held areas of east Aleppo would involve people leaving the two villages and two other besieged towns, Madaya and Zabadani, near the Lebanese border. The pro-Assad side was demanding the evacuation of the two villages besieged by Islamists. Rebels and a government official said a new deal that was being negotiated on Saturday to complete the evacuation of the rebel-held areas of east Aleppo would involve people leaving Fua and Kefraya and two other besieged towns, Madaya and Zabadani, near the Lebanese border.
“We are getting ready to resume the evacuation of people from eastern Aleppo, hopefully this morning,” the ICRC spokeswoman, Elodie Schindler, said.
Syrian state television reported on Sunday a deal between the government and rebels to evacuate people from east Aleppo in return for the evacuation of people from Fua and Kefraya, the two villages besieged by Islamists. Syrian state television reported on Sunday on a deal between the government and rebels to evacuate people from east Aleppo in return for the evacuation of people from Fua and Kefraya.
According to al-Ikhbariya TV news, about 1,200 civilians would initially be taken out of east Aleppo and a similar number from the two villages. Once evacuees from the villages safely arrived in government areas, Aleppo fighters and more of their family members would be allowed to leave in return for other batches of people departing Fua and Kefraya.According to al-Ikhbariya TV news, about 1,200 civilians would initially be taken out of east Aleppo and a similar number from the two villages. Once evacuees from the villages safely arrived in government areas, Aleppo fighters and more of their family members would be allowed to leave in return for other batches of people departing Fua and Kefraya.
The war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights earlier said the rebel group formerly known as the Nusra Front had been preventing evacuation buses from entering the two besieged villages. The war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights earlier said the Islamist group formerly known as the Nusra Front had been preventing evacuation buses from entering the two besieged villages.
The ICRC urged Syria’s warring parties on Saturday to agree quickly on a plan and provide “solid” safety guarantees for evacuees, a day after the operation stalled. The ICRC urged Syria’s warring parties on Saturday to agree quickly on a plan and provide “solid” safety guarantees for evacuees, a day after the operation stalled. Thousands of cold and scared people, including women, children, the sick and injured, remain in east Aleppo, the aid agency said in a statement on Saturday.
Thousands of cold and scared people, including women, children, the sick and injured, remain in the enclave, the aid agency said in a statement on Saturday. Residents say the estimated 15,000 people gathering in the main square in Aleppo’s Sukari district are most of the civilians left in the last rebel bastion, mainly families of fighters and other civilians and a few combatants. Every family has been given a number by organisers to allow them on buses when they arrive.
Residents say the estimated 15,000 gathering in the main square in Aleppo’s Sukari district are most of the civilians left in the last rebel bastion, mainly families of fighters and other civilians and a few combatants. Every family has been given a number by organisers to allow them on buses when they arrive. “Everyone is waiting until they are evacuated. They just want to escape,” said Salah al-Attar, a former teacher, with his five children, wife and mother.
“Everyone is waiting until they are evacuated. They just want to escape,” said Salah al Attar, a former teacher, with his five children, wife and mother. Thousands of people were evacuated on Thursday, the first to leave under a ceasefire deal that would end years of fighting for the city and mark a major victory for Assad.
Thousands of people were evacuated on Thursday, the first to leave under a ceasefire deal that would end years of fighting for the city and mark a major victory for the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad.
But the talks are proving difficult. Negotiations between pro-government and opposition forces, as well as their international backers, were believed to be still continuing on Sunday to finalise how the evacuations would take place and how many people would leave. It was not immediately clear if fighters were also being evacuated.But the talks are proving difficult. Negotiations between pro-government and opposition forces, as well as their international backers, were believed to be still continuing on Sunday to finalise how the evacuations would take place and how many people would leave. It was not immediately clear if fighters were also being evacuated.
A senior Syrian rebel official from the powerful Ahrar al-Sham group involved in the talks on Saturday said the deal was being held up by Iran and its allied Shia militias, which were insisting people be allowed to leave the two villages before allowing the Aleppo evacuation to proceed.A senior Syrian rebel official from the powerful Ahrar al-Sham group involved in the talks on Saturday said the deal was being held up by Iran and its allied Shia militias, which were insisting people be allowed to leave the two villages before allowing the Aleppo evacuation to proceed.
Aleppo was divided between government and rebel areas in the nearly six-year-long war, but a lightning advance by the Syrian army and its allies began in mid-November following months of intense airstrikes, forcing the insurgents out of most of the rebel-held territory within a matter of weeks.Aleppo was divided between government and rebel areas in the nearly six-year-long war, but a lightning advance by the Syrian army and its allies began in mid-November following months of intense airstrikes, forcing the insurgents out of most of the rebel-held territory within a matter of weeks.
The United Nations security council is due to vote on Sunday on a French-drafted resolution aimed at ensuring that UN officials can monitor evacuations from Aleppo and the protection of civilians who remain.The United Nations security council is due to vote on Sunday on a French-drafted resolution aimed at ensuring that UN officials can monitor evacuations from Aleppo and the protection of civilians who remain.
The draft text also “emphasises that the evacuations of civilians must be voluntary and to final destinations of their choice, and protection must be provided to all civilians who choose or who have been forced to be evacuated and those who opt to remain in their homes”.The draft text also “emphasises that the evacuations of civilians must be voluntary and to final destinations of their choice, and protection must be provided to all civilians who choose or who have been forced to be evacuated and those who opt to remain in their homes”.
It was not immediately clear how Russia would vote on the French-drafted resolution. Before the draft was circulated to the council, the Russian UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said on Friday: “If it is a sensible initiative and we see it on paper, why not entertain this initiative?”It was not immediately clear how Russia would vote on the French-drafted resolution. Before the draft was circulated to the council, the Russian UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said on Friday: “If it is a sensible initiative and we see it on paper, why not entertain this initiative?”
Russia, an ally of Damascus which has provided military backing to Assad’s troops, has vetoed six security council resolutions on Syria since the conflict started in 2011. China joined Moscow in vetoing five resolutions.Russia, an ally of Damascus which has provided military backing to Assad’s troops, has vetoed six security council resolutions on Syria since the conflict started in 2011. China joined Moscow in vetoing five resolutions.