2,000 people evacuate rebel-held north of Syrian capital

As many as 2,000 people evacuated the rebel-held suburb of Tal north of the capital Damascus on Friday, as part of a deal between the Syrian government and the armed rebels, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported.

Altogether 500 rebels and 1,500 civilians of their families were bussed out of Tal toward the rebel-held city of Idlib in northern Syria, as part of a deal concluded lately.

The deal for the evacuation of rebels and their families is the latest in a string of several deals the government struck with the rebels around Damascus.

Such deals include granting those who want to leave with a safe access to Idlib, in exchange for a total return of the Syrian government forces and its institutions to such rebel-held areas.

Previous deals for defusing the tension in Tal has fallen short to hold up as both the government forces and the rebels ended up in another wave of battles.

Tal was deemed as one of the key strongholds for the rebels in northern Damascus, as it links the rebel-held areas in Qalamoun region, northern Damascus to eastern Ghouta area.

The recapture of Tal comes days after a similar deal has seen the evacuation of 3,000 rebels and their families from the southern town of Khan al-Shieh, another key rebel stronghold south of Damascus.

The report said Khan al-Sheih and 13 villages around it returned under the government control, which helped secure the capital from any rebel threat.

Observers say the vicinity of the capital is safe now except for its eastern part, mainly the Ghouta area.

The government calls such instances as settlement or reconciliation, while the opposition accuses the government of laying tough sieges as well as heavily shelling those areas to force the rebels to leave. Endit