|
Ahmed Kara Ali,
spokesman for the rebel group Ahrar al Sham that is involved in
departure negotiations, told Reuters "large numbers" were left
but it was difficult to estimate how many remained, beyond it
being in the thousands.
The operation to evacuate civilians and fighters from rebel-held
eastern Aleppo has already brought out thousands of people since
late last week. But obstacles have disrupted the departure of
the last group, with rebels and Iranian-backed militias blaming
each other for the delays.
Since the resumption of evacuations last night after a
suspension, Kara Ali said 20 buses and over 600 civilian
vehicles had left the rebel enclave for opposition-held areas in
rural western Aleppo and Idlib province.
The last evacuees are believed to be fighters and their
families.
Another rebel official said a heavy snow storm that hit northern
Syria and the sheer numbers of civilians still remaining were
among the factors behind the delay in the mass evacuation.
"The numbers of civilians, their cars alongside and of course
the weather all are making the evacuation slow," Munir al-Sayal,
head of the political wing of Ahrar al Sham, said.
Sayal said he expected the evacuation to end before evening if
there were no hitches and matters proceeded normally.
"If it proceeds in this routine way, we should be done this
evening," the senior rebel official told Reuters.
(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
