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Last Aleppo evacuation buses still waiting to leave besieged city - monitor 3,000 people stranded at Aleppo checkpoints in freezing cold
(about 5 hours later)
The last buses meant to evacuate rebels and civilians from Aleppo have been delayed for nearly 24 hours for reasons that are not clear, a UK-based monitor has said. About 3,000 people were stranded at checkpoints in freezing temperatures, without food or heating, after buses meant to evacuate the last civilians and rebels from besieged Aleppo were halted, according to people on the vehicles and a UK monitor.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict though activists on the ground, said 60 buses carrying 3,000 evacuees were waiting to leave eastern Aleppo – the final step that surrenders the Syrian opposition stronghold in the war-torn city to the government. The 60 buses have been held up for nearly a day, for reasons that are still not clear, with passengers trapped inside.
Ward Furati, spokesman for Aleppo’s Fastaqim rebel faction, said the rebel fighters “won’t leave until security of all the civilians has been fully guaranteed”. “People’s situation is extremely difficult, because of cold and shortage of water and food supplies. Forced evacuation is suspended and people can’t leave buses,” an activist at the departure point said in a message on Tuesday evening. “The situation cannot hold until morning.”
The Observatory also said 21 buses were waiting to evacuate the sick and wounded from Fua and Kefraya, two Shia pro-government villages that have been besieged by rebels for years. There have already been several deaths reported from the cold, with temperatures dipping below zero on many days of slow, intermittent evacuation.
Evacuations from east Aleppo resumed on Monday after four days in limbo, when it appeared the truce might unravel over the intransigence of Iran and its proxy militias on the government’s side and al-Qaida-linked militants fighting with the rebels. "Four babies died in the freezing cold" says @HamishDBG https://t.co/bLxqpTMlaJ #Aleppo pic.twitter.com/FASGliDvk6
The deal, brokered after intense shuttle diplomacy and pressure from Turkey and Russia, initially broke down over Iranian demands for a simultaneous evacuation of the villages of Fua and Kefraya. People waiting on the streets have shared pictures of frost forming on the luggage of people waiting to leave, and families huddled round fires desperately trying to keep warm. Few want to seek shelter for risk of missing their last chance to leave.
After rebels acceded to the demands, they were stymied by Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the powerful al-Qaida-linked group, which initially refused to accept the deal. Fighters linked to the group torched buses that were meant to transport people from Fua and Kefraya on Sunday, once again putting the deal at risk. Five hundred people were eventually evacuated from the villages on Monday, allowing the evacuations from east Aleppo to resume. “Intense diplomacy ongoing with and between parties to resume vital evacuations from east Aleppo and Fua and Kefraya. The vulnerable waiting in the cold,” Jan Egeland, the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council charity, said on Twitter.
Associated Press contributed to this report. At least 25,000 people, including rebel fighters, have left east Aleppo since Thursday under an evacuation deal under which the city will come under full government control. Many of them headed to neighbouring Idlib province to stay with relatives or in displacement centres.
They are still living in a freezing war zone and in desperate need of assistance. Many are weak, malnourished and have chronic health problems after months living under siege, with medical facilities constantly attacked.
With snow falling this week in some parts of Idlib province, provisions of food and shelter are urgently needed, a UN spokesman said.
Snow again in #Idlib today, where many #Aleppo children were evacuated. Help @Unicef_UK keep Syria's children warm https://t.co/puDJAL7TOi pic.twitter.com/1axq75LPJ1
And while they are grateful for relative safety now they are out, many fear they have been removed as part of an effort by Assad’s forces to shift the demographic balance in Aleppo, and may never return.
“We did not want to leave our land, but they used every weapon available to force us out,” said Abu Mohammad, a father of four from east Aleppo. “Now they have prepared a prison for us in order to besiege us and bombard us,” he added, speaking to AFP in a camp hosting around 100 displaced families.