Syrian Military, Rebels Coordinate to Let 1,800 Civilians Flee Fighting

Red Crescent, Other Groups Broker Deal

With a lot of effort by the Syrian Red Crescent and other civilian groups, a deal was reached between the Syrian military and rebels to allow civilians trapped in the middle of ongoing fighting over Mouadamiya.

1,800 civilians were able to flee today, according to Syria’s Social Affairs Ministry, and the UN says that 3,000 women and children have fled over the course of three different exoduses.

Mouadamiya is a suburb of Damascus and has been contested for months. Rebels have claimed 12,000 civilians are trapped in the ruins of the town and facing imminent starvation, though the exact figure is somewhat disputed, as many have fled as the opportunity presents itself.

Civilians trapped in the middle of combat zones is a nation-wide problem in Syria, and deals allowing then opportunities to safely flee have been few and far between. Hopefully, this deal will set a precedent allowing civilians out of other heavy fighting zones across the nation.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.