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Residents Abandon Daraya as Government Seizes a Symbol of Syria’s Rebellion Residents Abandon Daraya as Government Seizes a Symbol of Syria’s Rebellion
(35 minutes later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Hundreds of rebel fighters and their families left a long-besieged suburb of the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Friday, under an agreement with the government that amounted to an opposition surrender of territory and a symbolic defeat.BEIRUT, Lebanon — Hundreds of rebel fighters and their families left a long-besieged suburb of the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Friday, under an agreement with the government that amounted to an opposition surrender of territory and a symbolic defeat.
Carrying their belongings in suitcases and overstuffed plastic bags, residents filed out from between rows of destroyed buildings to board buses that would take them from the town of Daraya to rebel-held Idlib Province, a place about 200 miles north that few of them have ever seen. Thousands more civilians are to leave for other government-held suburbs of Damascus in the coming days under the deal that hands the town to the government.Carrying their belongings in suitcases and overstuffed plastic bags, residents filed out from between rows of destroyed buildings to board buses that would take them from the town of Daraya to rebel-held Idlib Province, a place about 200 miles north that few of them have ever seen. Thousands more civilians are to leave for other government-held suburbs of Damascus in the coming days under the deal that hands the town to the government.
Few of Daraya’s residents hold out any hope of returning. As they prepared to evacuate Friday, residents kissed the ground and visited the graves of relatives for the last time. The scene was reminiscent of the evacuation of rebels and civilians from the old city of Homs two years ago, an area that remains largely deserted today.Few of Daraya’s residents hold out any hope of returning. As they prepared to evacuate Friday, residents kissed the ground and visited the graves of relatives for the last time. The scene was reminiscent of the evacuation of rebels and civilians from the old city of Homs two years ago, an area that remains largely deserted today.
Daraya, like Homs, has been a symbol of revolt since the earliest peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad in 2011: Leaders of the civilian opposition hailed from Daraya, and many of them were imprisoned, with some tortured to death while in custody. The ultimate fall of the rebellious town now symbolizes the failure of the moderate opposition rooted there and those affiliated with the early civilian protests to firmly unite fractured rebel groups.Daraya, like Homs, has been a symbol of revolt since the earliest peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad in 2011: Leaders of the civilian opposition hailed from Daraya, and many of them were imprisoned, with some tortured to death while in custody. The ultimate fall of the rebellious town now symbolizes the failure of the moderate opposition rooted there and those affiliated with the early civilian protests to firmly unite fractured rebel groups.
Isolated by government blockades for four years and bombarded relentlessly, Daraya stood out as a place where the main rebel groups remained under local control and not affiliated with extremist factions.Isolated by government blockades for four years and bombarded relentlessly, Daraya stood out as a place where the main rebel groups remained under local control and not affiliated with extremist factions.
Because it lies close to a military airport, is less than two miles from downtown Damascus — and perhaps also because it represented an alternative to government authority and the rule of extremists affiliated with the Islamic State or Al Qaeda — government forces had been determined to take the town. Its fall will free up hundreds of pro-government fighters for other battles. Because it lies close to a military airport and is less than two miles from downtown Damascus — and also perhaps because it represented an alternative to government authority and the rule of extremists affiliated with the Islamic State or Al Qaeda — government forces had been determined to take the town. Its fall will free up hundreds of pro-government fighters for other battles.
“The regime will keep Daraya empty, dead land, as a graveyard,” said Abu Mohammad, 60, who left Daraya four years ago for the government-held suburb of Sahnaya, and asked to use a nickname for fear his family in Daraya would be subject to reprisals. On Friday, he and his wife sat glued to their television set watching coverage of the evacuation, hoping for a glimpse of four of their children, whom they have not seen since the couple fled Daraya. “The regime will keep Daraya empty, dead land, as a graveyard,” said Abu Mohammad, 60, who left Daraya four years ago for the government-held suburb of Sahnaya, and asked to use his nickname for fear his family in Daraya would be subject to reprisals. On Friday, he and his wife sat glued to their television set watching coverage of the evacuation, hoping for a glimpse of four of their children, whom they have not seen since the couple fled Daraya.
Their children — two sons fighting with the local rebels and two daughters married to fighters — are leaving for Idlib, where hard-line Islamist groups wield power and government and Russian warplanes strike daily.Their children — two sons fighting with the local rebels and two daughters married to fighters — are leaving for Idlib, where hard-line Islamist groups wield power and government and Russian warplanes strike daily.
A few blocks away in Sahnaya, a pro-government fighter who uses the nom de guerre Abu Odai exulted in the victory, saying that many young men from Sahnaya had died in the battles and that until now he had been afraid that fighters from Daraya would harm his family. Still, he asked that his real name not be used out of fear his family would be harmed and for speaking without authorization from his commanders. A few blocks away in Sahnaya, a pro-government fighter who uses the nom de guerre Abu Odai exulted in the victory, saying that many young men from Sahnaya had died in the battles and that until now he had been afraid that fighters from Daraya would harm his family. Still, he asked that his real name not be used out of fear his family would be harmed and because he was speaking without authorization from his commanders.
“The government told the armed groups in Daraya for years to hand over their arms and stay peacefully in their towns but they refused and called for freedom,” he said. “Today they got their freedom by going to Idlib.” “The government told the armed groups in Daraya for years to hand over their arms and stay peacefully in their towns, but they refused and called for freedom,” he said. “Today they got their freedom by going to Idlib.”
The United Nations, which closely monitored the evacuation of Homs in 2014, was not able to oversee the exodus from Daraya. U.N. officials said on Friday that they had only been informed overnight of the plans to allow residents to leave.The United Nations, which closely monitored the evacuation of Homs in 2014, was not able to oversee the exodus from Daraya. U.N. officials said on Friday that they had only been informed overnight of the plans to allow residents to leave.
“It is tragic that repeated appeals to lift the siege of Daraya, besieged since November 2012, and cease the fighting, have never been heeded,” the United Nations’ special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said in a statement. “It is imperative that people of Daraya are protected in any evacuation that takes place, and that this takes place voluntarily.”“It is tragic that repeated appeals to lift the siege of Daraya, besieged since November 2012, and cease the fighting, have never been heeded,” the United Nations’ special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said in a statement. “It is imperative that people of Daraya are protected in any evacuation that takes place, and that this takes place voluntarily.”
But local council members in Daraya said that government negotiators had given them no real choice, instead offering an ultimatum as the rebels ran out of ammunition: Leave or be wiped out.But local council members in Daraya said that government negotiators had given them no real choice, instead offering an ultimatum as the rebels ran out of ammunition: Leave or be wiped out.
The evacuation came as Secretary of State John Kerry and the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, met in Geneva in what officials described as a renewed effort between the United States, which backs parts of the opposition, and Russia, which backs the Syrian government, to map out a political transition that could end the war.The evacuation came as Secretary of State John Kerry and the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, met in Geneva in what officials described as a renewed effort between the United States, which backs parts of the opposition, and Russia, which backs the Syrian government, to map out a political transition that could end the war.
After a long day of talks in a hotel overlooking Lake Geneva, Mr. Kerry told reporters that he and Mr. Lavrov had “achieved clarity on the path forward” and agreed on the “vast majority” of technical issues holding up progress toward ceasing hostilities and creating the space needed to restart talks on a political solution.After a long day of talks in a hotel overlooking Lake Geneva, Mr. Kerry told reporters that he and Mr. Lavrov had “achieved clarity on the path forward” and agreed on the “vast majority” of technical issues holding up progress toward ceasing hostilities and creating the space needed to restart talks on a political solution.
But the two diplomats said their discussions still left unresolved a number of issues that they declined to detail. American and Russian experts would continue negotiations in Geneva in the coming week in an effort to produce a deal that could help kick-start deliveries of humanitarian aid and pave the way for a resumption of political transition talks.But the two diplomats said their discussions still left unresolved a number of issues that they declined to detail. American and Russian experts would continue negotiations in Geneva in the coming week in an effort to produce a deal that could help kick-start deliveries of humanitarian aid and pave the way for a resumption of political transition talks.
That did not mean the Assad government would halt its airstrikes, Mr. Lavrov made clear, but it would make them “more efficient” in targeting terrorist groups.That did not mean the Assad government would halt its airstrikes, Mr. Lavrov made clear, but it would make them “more efficient” in targeting terrorist groups.
But the Syrian government has long sought to undermine the transition process, preferring a “starve or kneel” strategy — named for slogans scrawled by pro-government militiamen outside besieged areas — and negotiating individual surrender deals with rebel groups rather than pursuing an overall settlement.But the Syrian government has long sought to undermine the transition process, preferring a “starve or kneel” strategy — named for slogans scrawled by pro-government militiamen outside besieged areas — and negotiating individual surrender deals with rebel groups rather than pursuing an overall settlement.
The government strategy has yielded mixed results: fighting has quieted in many areas but other agreements have fallen apart, leading to renewed clashes.The government strategy has yielded mixed results: fighting has quieted in many areas but other agreements have fallen apart, leading to renewed clashes.
The failure to end the widespread and debilitating conflict has also been abetted by the inability or unwillingness of opposition groups — and their international backers — to unite politically or militarily, firmly against Mr. Assad. The attention of some rebel groups and their United States backers have shifted to battling the Islamic State group. The failure to end the widespread and debilitating conflict has also been abetted by the inability or unwillingness of opposition groups — and their international backers — to unite, politically or militarily, firmly against Mr. Assad. The attention of some rebel groups and their United States backers have shifted to battling the Islamic State group.
There were angry recriminations on Friday from some rebels against American-backed opposition commanders in southern Syria who, following their backers’ instructions, have refrained from major offensives against pro-government forces in recent months. That decision has freed the government and allied militias to focus on dislodging rebels from the suburbs around Damascus, such as Daraya.There were angry recriminations on Friday from some rebels against American-backed opposition commanders in southern Syria who, following their backers’ instructions, have refrained from major offensives against pro-government forces in recent months. That decision has freed the government and allied militias to focus on dislodging rebels from the suburbs around Damascus, such as Daraya.
For years, the town was under siege, receiving just two small international aid deliveries permitted by the Syrian government while undergoing near-daily bombardments. Residents of Daraya held out after a massacre of hundreds of people by pro-government militias four years ago, on August 25, 2012, and suffered the effects of one of the government’s deadly sarin attacks in August 2013 that killed more than 1,000 people in several Damascus suburbs.For years, the town was under siege, receiving just two small international aid deliveries permitted by the Syrian government while undergoing near-daily bombardments. Residents of Daraya held out after a massacre of hundreds of people by pro-government militias four years ago, on August 25, 2012, and suffered the effects of one of the government’s deadly sarin attacks in August 2013 that killed more than 1,000 people in several Damascus suburbs.
The United States had declared the use of chemical weapons to be a “red line” in the conflict, but rather than retaliate, Washington instead struck a deal with Russia to remove the government’s chemical weapons. Since that decision, an emboldened Syrian government has stepped up attacks on residential areas, and a confidential United Nations report found that the government continued to carry out chemical attacks with chlorine.The United States had declared the use of chemical weapons to be a “red line” in the conflict, but rather than retaliate, Washington instead struck a deal with Russia to remove the government’s chemical weapons. Since that decision, an emboldened Syrian government has stepped up attacks on residential areas, and a confidential United Nations report found that the government continued to carry out chemical attacks with chlorine.
Around 8,000 of the 80,000 people who lived in Daraya before the before the war remain. Evacuation buses Friday were escorted by volunteers from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Rebels were allowed to take their personal weapons. Civilian activists said they, too, were choosing to go to Idlib because they feared anyone who had taken part in protests against Mr. Assad would be subject to arrest in government areas. Around 8,000 of the 80,000 people who lived in Daraya before the war remain. Evacuation buses Friday were escorted by volunteers from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Rebels were allowed to take their personal weapons. Civilian activists said they, too, were choosing to go to Idlib because they feared anyone who had taken part in protests against Mr. Assad would be subject to arrest in government areas.
In Sahnaya on Friday, where residents have become used to the reverberations of bombardments on Daraya, there was an unfamiliar quiet.In Sahnaya on Friday, where residents have become used to the reverberations of bombardments on Daraya, there was an unfamiliar quiet.
Abu Mohammad, who had farmed grapes and vegetables on the outskirts of Daraya when he lived there, teared up as he watched on television as his former neighbors abandoned what was left of their homes. His wife leaned forward, her face, draped in a long white head scarf, close to the screen. Abu Mohammad, who had farmed grapes and vegetables on the outskirts of Daraya when he lived there, teared up as he watched on television as his former neighbors abandoned what was left of their homes. His wife leaned forward, her face draped in a long white head scarf, close to the screen.
“This is my daughter,” she said, then corrected herself. “No, she is not — some one who looks like her. All Daraya’s families are related and they look alike.” “This is my daughter,” she said, then corrected herself. “No, she is not — someone who looks like her. All Daraya’s families are related, and they look alike.”
She dabbed her eyes with a napkin.She dabbed her eyes with a napkin.
“Oh God,” she said, “let me meet with my sons and daughters for one hour and then die, to be buried in Daraya’s soil.”“Oh God,” she said, “let me meet with my sons and daughters for one hour and then die, to be buried in Daraya’s soil.”