Syria rebels begin evacuating ‘cradle’ of uprising in Daraa

Syrian rebels and their relatives begin evacuating the southern city of Daraa under a deal to bring the “cradle” of the country’s uprising back under government control.

The highly symbolic transfers come as Russian-backed government forces advance in the neighboring province of Quneitra, with air strikes pounding rebel positions perilously close to the Israeli Golan heights.

After securing Damascus in May, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad turned his attention to rebels in the strategically vital south, where protests against his rule first erupted seven years ago.

Nearly three weeks of bombardment saw beleaguered rebels agree with Russia earlier this month to hand over Daraa province, before reaching a similar deal for its capital this week.

In recent days, rebels have handed over heavy-duty arms and other equipment to government forces who entered the city’s rebel-held southern districts for the first time in years to plant the national flag.

On Sunday, rebels and civilians who did not want to live under regime control were granted safe passage to opposition-held Idlib in Syria’s northwest.

— AFP