Syria conflict: Government troops move into homs old city
May 10 BBC
Syrian forces have moved into previously rebel-held areas of Homs
after the evacuation of opposition fighters following a two-year siege.
Troops have begun sweeping the Old City for explosives, state media
quoted Homs Governor Talal al-Barazi as saying.
UN sources have told the BBC the evacuation is complete after the
departure of a final convoy of rebels.
Some 2,000 fighters and their relatives are believed to have left
since Wednesday.
The UN-supervised evacuation marks the end of three years of
resistance in Homs, once dubbed the “capital of the revolution”.Much of
Homs fell to the opposition in 2011, but over the past two years
government forces have gradually regained control by subjecting areas
once home to tens of thousands of people to continuous siege and
bombardment.
Civilians began returning the devastated zone of the Old City on
Friday to find what remained of their homes, reports say.
One woman emerged from her home carrying a stack of photo albums. “I
have nothing left for me to remember so I brought these photos,'’ she
told the Associated Press. “My house was destroyed.Government forces
took full control of the heart of Homs on Thursday, state media said,
after rebels in the Old City boarded buses and were transported to
rebel-held territory to the north.The withdrawal is part of a deal
struck between the government and opposition forces, reportedly mediated
by the Iranian ambassador to Syria.
UN sources in Homs told the BBC a final group of 360 fighters had
left the city on seven buses on Friday.Their departure had reportedly
been delayed after opposition fighters in northern Syrian prevented aid
from reaching besieged pro-government villages.The aid delivery to the
two predominantly Shia towns in the north - Nubul and Zahraa - was part
of the agreement allowing rebels to leave Homs.It will also see rebels
release 70 captives in Aleppo and Latakia provinces.State media quoted
Mr Barazi as saying government troops had entered the Old City of Homs
and began clearing it of explosives on Friday.
The governor earlier said Homs would be declared a “secure city” once
the UN-supervised evacuation was complete, and that reconstruction would
begin immediately.There is now only one district in Homs - al-Wair in
the north-western outskirts - that is still controlled by the
opposition.More than 150,000 people are believed to have been killed
since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March
2011. |