{"id":25425,"date":"2017-03-29T09:39:58","date_gmt":"2017-03-29T09:39:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=25425"},"modified":"2017-03-29T09:39:58","modified_gmt":"2017-03-29T09:39:58","slug":"syria-deal-evacuate-shiites-sunnis-towns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/world-news\/syria-deal-evacuate-shiites-sunnis-towns.html","title":{"rendered":"Syria deal to evacuate Shi’ites and Sunnis from towns"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tSyria deal to evacuate Shi'ites and Sunnis from towns<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span>
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\n\tSyria deal to evacuate Shi'ites and Sunnis from towns:-<\/strong> The Shi'ite populations of two pro-Syrian government towns are to be evacuated in exchange for the evacuation of Sunni rebels and their families from two opposition-held towns in a mediated deal between the warring sides, a pro-government source and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe two Shi'ite towns of al-Foua and Kefraya in the northwestern province of Idlib are besieged by rebel fighters, while the opposition-held towns of Zabadani and Madaya near the Lebanese border are besieged by pro-government forces.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tIts military hand strengthened by Russia and Iran, the Syrian government has struck numerous deals giving besieged rebels safe passage to insurgent-held parts of northern Syria that border Turkey.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe opposition considers it a deliberate policy of demographic change to forcibly displace President Bashar al-Assad's opponents away from the main cities of western Syria, where he has shored up his rule in the six-year-long conflict.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t"This is a demographic change on a sectarian basis," said Rami Abdulrahman, Observatory director, calling it the biggest population swap agreement of its type. "There is great discontent over the agreement in Madaya," he said.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe pro-government source said implementation was due to begin on April 4, with 16,000 people leaving al-Foua and Kefraya "in exchange for the evacuation of all the Zabadani militants and the militants of Madaya and their families".<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tSources on the rebel side could not immediately be reached for comment.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAs part of the agreement, a ceasefire began on Tuesday at noon, the pro-government source said. The Obsevatory said the areas covered by the agreement were calm on Wednesday.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Observatory said the evacuation of al-Foua and Kefraya was scheduled to last 60 days. The people evacuated from the rebel-held towns would go to northern Syria, it added.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe agreement would also include a ceasefire covering areas south of Damascus, aid deliveries, and the release of 1,500 prisoners held by the government in connection to the uprising against Assad, the Observatory said.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tSource:- http:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-mideast-crisis-syria-agreement-idUSKBN1700PS<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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