As Syrian rebels pull out of eastern Ghouta, Douma stands alone

Syrian rebels began pulling outof several towns in their former enclave of eastern Ghouta onSaturday, surrendering them to the government and leaving thebesieged city of Douma as their last bastion there.

It comes after a month-long assault that devastated thealready battered eastern Ghouta, an area of farmland and towns that was one of the first centres of the uprising in 2011 andthe last major rebel stronghold near the capital Damascus.

Ten buses carrying fighters along with their families andother civilians started to leave the enclave after dark, the vanguard of a convoy heading into exile in northwestern Syria.

Thousands of others departedon Fridayfrom the town of Harasta in a similar deal for insurgents to depart with light weapons in return for giving up theirterritory.

The buses queued at a crossing point before moving into theenclave along a road on the former front lines that had beencleared of barricades, debris and unexploded ordnance.

Some captives held by the insurgents were released and statetelevision showed them leaving in a minibus.

The army was advancing into towns the rebels had retreatedfrom in preparation for their exit, state television said. It broadcast pictures of the massive trenches and otherfortifications the rebels were leaving behind.

Only Douma is left of the opposition's easternGhouta enclave which a month ago the United Nations said was home to 400,000 people.

The army offensive to capture it, heralded by one of theheaviest bombardments in the seven-year conflict with warplanes,helicopters and artillery, has killed more than 1,600 people,said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor.

Residents and rights groups have accused the government ofusing weapons that kill indiscriminately inaccurate barrelbombs dropped from helicopters, chlorine gas and incendiarymaterial that sets raging fires.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his close ally Russia,which has helped his air campaign, have denied using all thoseweapons and say their offensive was needed to end the rule ofIslamist militants over civilians.

Thousands leaving

About 7,000 people fighters along with family members andother civilians who do not wish to come back under Assad's rulewere to leave the towns of Zamalka, Arbin, Ein Terma and Jobarstarting on Saturday, rebels and state media said.

They will go to Idlib province in the northwest thedestination for many such "evacuations" after sieges and ground offensives forced numerous rebel enclaves to surrender in thepast two years.

It will not mean an end to their experience of war. Syrianmilitary and Russian air raids on Idlib have increased in the past week, killing dozens of people.

Idlib is also unsettled by fighting between the rebelgroups. On Saturday, an explosion at a headquarters for al-Qaeda's former affiliate killed at least seven people andinjured 25 others.

The Britain-based Observatory said there were alsonegotiations with the Jaish al-Islam rebel group that controls Douma to release prisoners.

Russia will guarantee that civilians who remain in the areasrecaptured by Assad will not be prosecuted, rebels said on
Friday. However, rights groups have said some men were forciblyconscripted after fleeing the fighting.

Wael Alwan, spokespersonfor the Failaq al-Rahman group thatwas dominant in Zamalka, Arbin, Ein Terma and Jobar, was quotedby al-Hadath television on Saturday as saying he did not trustRussia's guarantees.

A Russian military webcam at the al-Wafideen crossing pointnear Douma showed small groups of civilians continuing to fleethe danger of further bombardment into government territory,carrying children and sacks of belongings.

Russia's military said more than 105,000 people had lefteastern Ghouta, including over 700 on Saturday.

Tens of thousands have fled their homes in the past week asthe bombardment of Douma intensified and refugees from otherparts of Ghouta found the basement bomb shelters too full totake them.