The first fighters from the last rebel bastion in Eastern Ghouta left on Sunday for insurgent-held territory in the country's northwest, state media said, raising hopes of an end to conflict in the enclave.
The withdrawal, the first of its kind from besieged Douma, involves fighters of Failaq al Rahman, which evacuated most of the towns under its control inside the enclave on Saturday.The dominant rebel group in Douma is Jaish al Islam, which is still negotiating a deal with Russia over surrender terms giving its fighters the option of leaving the enclave or making peace with Syrian authorities.
Negotiators reached a deal late on Saturday to evacuate wounded Jaish al Islam civilians and fighters to Idlib in the northwest.
It was not clear if it was part of a broader deal including the pullout of fighters, though state television said information indicated an agreement had been reached.
The Syrian army command said on Saturday it had regained most of the towns and villages in Eastern Ghouta and was pressing military operations in Douma, the largest urban centre in the enclave outside Damascus.
Failaq al Rahman reached a deal last month with the Syrian army under Russian auspices to give up a string of towns in Eastern Ghouta they had controlled, in exchange for safe passage to Idlib.
Douma's fall would seal the rebels' worst defeat since 2016, driving them from their last big stronghold near the capital.
The once bustling commercial hub was the main centre of street protests in the Damascus suburbs against President Bashar al-Assad's rule that ignited the conflict seven years ago.
AFP adds: The retaking of Eastern Ghouta would mark a major milestone in President Bashar al-Assad's efforts to regain control of territory seized by rebel factions during Syria's seven-year civil war.
The Observatory, a Britain-based monitoring group, said Sunday's deal provides for Jaish al-Islam fighters and their families, as well as civilians who want, to be evacuated to rebel-held areas in the northern province of Aleppo.
It will also see Russian military police enter the town and government institutions return to the area, the monitor said.
Regime forces had already retaken more than 95% of Eastern Ghouta in a six-week air and ground blitz that forced tens of thousands from their homes.
Successive evacuation deals were reached with rebel forces in parts of the enclave, with more than 45,000 fighters and civilians bussed out in recent weeks. Tens of thousands of other civilians have fled to regime-held territory.
More than 4,000 people left the devastated town of Harasta last week under a deal with the Ahrar al-Sham rebel group.
And more than 41,000 evacuated a southern pocket including the town of Arbin this week under another deal with the Faylaq al-Rahman opposition faction.
Earlier on Sunday an agreement had been reached with civil authorities in Douma for hundreds of civilians to leave for Idlib, a northwestern province still largely outside regime control, the Observatory said.
A civilian committee taking part in the negotiations with Russia said a deal had been reached "to evacuate humanitarian cases to northern Syria". It gave no further details nor did it say when the planned evacuations would start.
The Observatory said evacuations were underway under that deal with civilians -- including of the sick or wounded, or family members of the Faylaq al-Rahman rebel group -- to head towards Idlib.
Talks with Jaish al-Islam for the evacuation of Douma had dragged on for several days, with residents growing nervous.
"Of course I would rather leave. There are no more homes here, not a single place to settle," said Abu Rateb, 30.
"But I won't go to regime-held areas to join ranks with the Syrian army," he said, adding he would prefer to go to Idlib.
Haitham, 38, a media activist who did not give his surname, said he would rather stay in his hometown.
"To abandon your home is to abandon your soul," he said. "But if they give us the choice of dying or leaving, it will be another matter."
Syria's army had on Saturday vowed to finish off rebels in Douma.
A statement said the military would press on with "fighting in the area of Douma to rid it of terrorism", in reference to the rebels.
The regime assault since February 18 has killed more than 1,600 civilians, the Observatory says, and devastated entire neighbourhoods.
