Damascus Now Fully Under Government Control

A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on May 8, 2017, shows the first batch of militants and some of their family members leaving from Damascus’ Barzeh neighbourhood following a deal to evacuate the area.
Syrian rebels and their families began evacuating from a district of Damascus for the first time on Monday, bringing the government closer to recapturing all of the capital. / AFP PHOTO / SANA / HO / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / SANA” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

A Syrian official says that a northeastern neighborhood of the capital Damascus is now completely under government control after carrying out the second and last phase of a truce agreement in the area.

Hundreds of rebels and their families left Qaboun on Sunday and Monday, headed toward rebel-held areas, bringing all parts of the capital under the control of President Bashar Assad’s forces for the first time since 2012.

The evacuations came a day after government forces and their allies captured most of the area from insurgents who had maintained a presence in the northeastern neighborhood for four years.

State-run news agency SANA quoted Damascus governor Beshr al-Sabban saying Monday that military units were combing the neighborhood to dismantle explosives and mines.

Source: Associated Press