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Syria: Bombing hits bus convoy carrying civilians evacuated from besieged towns under deal between regime and rebels | Syria: Bombing hits bus convoy carrying civilians evacuated from besieged towns under deal between regime and rebels |
(35 minutes later) | |
A car bomb has hit a convoy of buses carrying civilians evacuated from besieged towns in Syria, killing at least 24 people as they waited to be taken to safety. | A car bomb has hit a convoy of buses carrying civilians evacuated from besieged towns in Syria, killing at least 24 people as they waited to be taken to safety. |
The blast hit the Rashidin area on the outskirts of Aleppo, where dozens of buses carrying mostly Shia Muslim families from pro-government villages were waiting to enter the city. | The blast hit the Rashidin area on the outskirts of Aleppo, where dozens of buses carrying mostly Shia Muslim families from pro-government villages were waiting to enter the city. |
Photos that were too graphic to publish showed a huge fire raging next to bodies scattered on the ground next to charred buses with blown-out windows, including those of children. | Photos that were too graphic to publish showed a huge fire raging next to bodies scattered on the ground next to charred buses with blown-out windows, including those of children. |
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll at 24, while local television said at least 39 men, women and children were killed. | The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll at 24, while local television said at least 39 men, women and children were killed. |
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, with Shias targeted predominantly by Isis and to a lesser extent by al-Qaeda in the past. | There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, with Shias targeted predominantly by Isis and to a lesser extent by al-Qaeda in the past. |
Reports by Syrian state media that the car bomb had infiltrated the area after being loaded with food supplies for children could not be confirmed. | |
The victims are believed to be from the pro-government villages of Foua and Kefraya, who had been starving under a siege by Islamist rebels. | The victims are believed to be from the pro-government villages of Foua and Kefraya, who had been starving under a siege by Islamist rebels. |
They were being guarded by fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked alliance Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, whose members were also killed in the blast. | They were being guarded by fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked alliance Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, whose members were also killed in the blast. |
They were allowed to leave the area in the “four towns” deal struck between rebels and Bashar al-Assad’s government, which allowed thousands of people to leave the pro-rebel areas of Madaya and Zabadani, where residents had also been starving. | They were allowed to leave the area in the “four towns” deal struck between rebels and Bashar al-Assad’s government, which allowed thousands of people to leave the pro-rebel areas of Madaya and Zabadani, where residents had also been starving. |
The United Nations described the situation as "catastrophic", saying more than 64,000 civilians were "trapped in a cycle of daily violence and deprivation". | The United Nations described the situation as "catastrophic", saying more than 64,000 civilians were "trapped in a cycle of daily violence and deprivation". |
Dozens of buses carrying civilians from opposing sides of the six-year civil war left as planned on Friday but were held at depots overnight, parked up in separate districts on the outskirts of Aleppo city. | |
They were waiting near the checkpoint where the handover was due to take place when the bomb went off at around 3.30pm local time (1.30pm BST) on Saturday. | They were waiting near the checkpoint where the handover was due to take place when the bomb went off at around 3.30pm local time (1.30pm BST) on Saturday. |
There were fears of revenge attacks or punishment for civilians from rebel-held areas in the wake of the bombing, with international organisations urged to keep the peace as Russian troops were reportedly deployed to prevent retaliation. | There were fears of revenge attacks or punishment for civilians from rebel-held areas in the wake of the bombing, with international organisations urged to keep the peace as Russian troops were reportedly deployed to prevent retaliation. |
Gareth Bayley, the UK's special representative for Syria, condemned "yet another atrocity on Syrian civilians", urging protection for all others at risk. | |
Syrian state television had blamed rebels for obstructing the deal, while Syrian Red Crescent teams distributed meals for families stranded more than 30 hours after they left their homes. | |
Residents from Kefraya and Foua were to be transferred government-controlled Jibrin, while those from Madaya and Zabadani were heading towards the rebel-held Idlib province. | Residents from Kefraya and Foua were to be transferred government-controlled Jibrin, while those from Madaya and Zabadani were heading towards the rebel-held Idlib province. |
“The people are restless and the situation is disastrous,” said Ahmed Afandar, a resident evacuated from his hometown near Madaya. | “The people are restless and the situation is disastrous,” said Ahmed Afandar, a resident evacuated from his hometown near Madaya. |
“All these thousands of people are stuck in less than half a kilometre. We are not moving forward or backward.” | “All these thousands of people are stuck in less than half a kilometre. We are not moving forward or backward.” |
Mr Afandar said people had not been “pressured” to remain on buses amid reported disagreements between regime and rebel negotiators over the evacuation of fighters. | Mr Afandar said people had not been “pressured” to remain on buses amid reported disagreements between regime and rebel negotiators over the evacuation of fighters. |
An opposition representative, Ali Diab, told Al-Arabiya television that fewer armed men than had been agreed were evacuated from the pro-government areas, violating the terms of the agreement. | An opposition representative, Ali Diab, told Al-Arabiya television that fewer armed men than had been agreed were evacuated from the pro-government areas, violating the terms of the agreement. |
A resident of Zabadani, Amer Burhan, said no evacuation had taken place. | A resident of Zabadani, Amer Burhan, said no evacuation had taken place. |
Syrian opposition groups have characterised the deal as forced displacement because of the removal of Assad’s opponents from urban centres including Aleppo and Homs. | Syrian opposition groups have characterised the deal as forced displacement because of the removal of Assad’s opponents from urban centres including Aleppo and Homs. |
The country’s population is mostly Sunni, while the President is from the Alawite minority sometimes considered as an offshoot of Shia Islam. | The country’s population is mostly Sunni, while the President is from the Alawite minority sometimes considered as an offshoot of Shia Islam. |
Assad has been backed by Shia militias including Iraqi groups and fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, while Isis, al-Qaeda and Islamist rebel groups are Sunni. | Assad has been backed by Shia militias including Iraqi groups and fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, while Isis, al-Qaeda and Islamist rebel groups are Sunni. |
Additional reporting by agencies | Additional reporting by agencies |