(UTV|COLOMBO) – Syrian rebel group Jaish al-Islam has agreed to evacuate jihadist fighters being held in its prisons in besieged Eastern Ghouta, a statement says.
The group says the decision was made in consultation with a delegation that entered with a UN aid convoy.
The Syrian government has stepped up efforts in retake the rebel-held enclave in recent weeks, leading to more than 900 reported civilian deaths.
Pro-government forces have now reportedly taken half the area.
Some 400,000 people are trapped and efforts to reach a deal to halt the bloodshed have gone on for weeks.
Jaish al-Islam said it had come to an agreement with a variety of parties, including the UN, to evacuate the fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – an alliance of factions led by the Nusra Front, which sprung from al-Qaeda.
Courtesy: BBC
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