Mar 24, 2018

Syrian rebels and civilians gathered in rubble-strewn streets early on Saturday, awaiting evacuation from the penultimate opposition-held pocket of Eastern Ghouta.

Faylaq al-Rahman, the Islamist rebel group that controls the area, agreed to pull out in exchange for an end to nearly five weeks of devastating bombardment by the government and its allies.

The departure of thousands of fighters and civilians from the southern part of the onetime rebel bastion had been scheduled to start at 9 am (0700 GMT) but by late morning the buses had yet to arrive, an AFP correspondent reported.

Dozens of fighters, their relatives, and other residents waited out in the open in the bombed-out streets of Arbin, one of the towns included in the deal.

It was the first time in weeks that so many people were seen outside. Relentless shelling and air strikes had made it too dangerous to venture out of basement shelters, even to find food.