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Syrian troops evacuate 30 families from eastern Damascus

Xinhua, February 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Syrian troops on Saturday secured the evacuation of 30 families from a rebel-held area east of the capital Damascus, the state news agency SANA reported.

Around 80 people of 30 families left the rebel bastion of Douma in the eastern countryside of Damascus, seeking refuge in government controlled areas due to the difficult living conditions in their rebel-held area.

SANA said the families were taken to temporary shelters in the neighborhood of Qudsaiyah in the western countryside of Damascus and were provided with all basic services and necessities.

The state news agency said the people had fled the "the terrorism and crimes committed by the extremist rebels who had taken the civilians as human shields."

Last month, around 5,000 people, mostly women and children, were secured by the government troops out of Douma and the nearby areas into shelters inside Damascus, said SANA, adding that 800 rebels from the aforementioned area also sought to surrender themselves to the government troops.

Still, SANA didn't disclose the details leading to the evacuation process. Endit