Rebels evacuation from Homs, Hama countryside postponed

DAMASCUS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The evacuation of the third batch of rebels and their families from countrysides of Homs and Hama province in central Syria was postponed on Wednesday, sources and reports said.

The rebels in the northern countryside of Homs and the southern countryside of Hama province are supposed to depart to rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib and the northern city of Jarablus, but the rebels in those areas have hurdled the entry of the first two batches from Homs and Hama, a source in Hama told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The source said that over 6,000 rebels and their families evacuated the countryside of Hama and Homs in the past two days, adding that the rebels are blowing up their command centers ahead of their withdrawal, which led to the killing of four militants when an arms depot went ablaze.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Turkish authorities and the rebels they are backing have prevented the entry of the Homs and Hama rebels.

The state news agency SANA said the rebels in Hama and Homs countrysides are handing over their weapons to the Syrian side as part of the evacuation deal.

The evacuation deal was reached between the rebels and the Syrian government on May 1 and is identical to other agreements that have been recently reached in the capital Damascus, which saw the evacuation of rebels from the Eastern Ghouta countryside and the eastern part of the Qalamoun region to Idlib and Jarablus last month.

The Russian-backed evacuation deals are aimed at curbing battles. Meanwhile, the rebels are leaving for other strongholds in northern Syria in order to secure more vital areas in central and southern Syria. Enditem