The Russian Defense Ministry reported on the recent developments in the tense situation in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta.
“Last night, during the search of militants, 15 suicide belts were found and seized. Eight belts of suicide bombers were confiscated eight days ago by the Russian military police and the Syrian police. Also, 289 grenades were confiscated from leaving [E Ghouta] militants,” the report stated.
According to the Ministry of Defense’s report, 6,400 militants and their families have left the area through the humanitarian corridor from East Ghouta on Tuesday by buses.
“Since March 24, as a result of the agreements reached by senior officials of the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation with the leaders of the Failaq al-Rahman group, the Failaq al-Rahman militants continue to withdraw from the settlement of Irbin (Eastern Ghouta). On March 27, 6,432 militants and members of their families left the area through the organized humanitarian corridor and were transported by 102 buses to the province of Idlib,” the ministry’s statement read.
The ministry emphasized that throughout the route their security was provided by the Syrian police under the supervision of the officers of the Russian Reconciliation Center and representatives of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.
The deal on the withdrawal of militants from the area was recently reached between militants and the Syrian government. After the transfer, the Syrian Army will control about 85 percent of the total territory of the initial pocket.
The transfer was launched after last month, the Syrian Army and allied ground forces launched operation Damascus Steel to liberate the East Ghouta region from hardline Islamist militants who have occupied the area since 2012. Under the deal, militants from Erbeen, Zamalka, and other areas to be transferred to the northwestern province of Idlib — one of the last remaining militant bastions in the country.