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| As Buses Burn, Aleppo Evacuation Is Again Imperiled | As Buses Burn, Aleppo Evacuation Is Again Imperiled |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BEIRUT, Lebanon — The removal of residents from besieged communities in Syria proceeded tenuously on Sunday after rebels set fire to a number of buses that were supposed to evacuate people from two Shiite villages surrounded by insurgents, according to conflict monitors and videos posted online. | |
| An agreement was originally aimed to remove civilians and fighters from the last rebel-held districts of eastern Aleppo, but its implementation has been hampered from the start by parties who opposed the deal and wanted to have residents of other besieged communities evacuated as well. | An agreement was originally aimed to remove civilians and fighters from the last rebel-held districts of eastern Aleppo, but its implementation has been hampered from the start by parties who opposed the deal and wanted to have residents of other besieged communities evacuated as well. |
| The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote Sunday on a resolution demanding that United Nations agencies and their partners get full access to besieged communities in Aleppo and elsewhere in Syria to ensure aid deliveries. But Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, said his country planned to veto it. | The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote Sunday on a resolution demanding that United Nations agencies and their partners get full access to besieged communities in Aleppo and elsewhere in Syria to ensure aid deliveries. But Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, said his country planned to veto it. |
| The halting progress of the evacuations underlines the complexity of the war in Syria, where both sides consist of coalitions of fighters on the ground who are backed by opposing foreign powers. | The halting progress of the evacuations underlines the complexity of the war in Syria, where both sides consist of coalitions of fighters on the ground who are backed by opposing foreign powers. |
| Fighting for President Bashar al-Assad are Syrian soldiers, Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group and other Shiite militias from Iraq and elsewhere. They receive support from Iran and Russia, which has been launching airstrikes on insurgent communities. | Fighting for President Bashar al-Assad are Syrian soldiers, Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group and other Shiite militias from Iraq and elsewhere. They receive support from Iran and Russia, which has been launching airstrikes on insurgent communities. |
| On the other side is a patchwork of Sunni rebel militias, including some extremists, who have received support from the United States, Turkey and Persian Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. | On the other side is a patchwork of Sunni rebel militias, including some extremists, who have received support from the United States, Turkey and Persian Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. |
| Nearly six years into the war, both sides have resorted to siege tactics, surrounding communities populated by their foes and bombarding them. | Nearly six years into the war, both sides have resorted to siege tactics, surrounding communities populated by their foes and bombarding them. |
| The evacuation agreement was intended to remove residents from the largest of these enclaves, in eastern Aleppo, which was surrounded by pro-government forces. | The evacuation agreement was intended to remove residents from the largest of these enclaves, in eastern Aleppo, which was surrounded by pro-government forces. |
| After a delay caused by gunfire on the route, convoys of ambulances and buses began on Thursday to bring about 3,000 civilians and fighters out of eastern Aleppo. At the same time, another convoy headed for two Shiite villages in Idlib Province, Fua and Kfraya, that are surrounded by Sunni rebels, but their way was blocked. So by Friday morning, the evacuations had stopped. | After a delay caused by gunfire on the route, convoys of ambulances and buses began on Thursday to bring about 3,000 civilians and fighters out of eastern Aleppo. At the same time, another convoy headed for two Shiite villages in Idlib Province, Fua and Kfraya, that are surrounded by Sunni rebels, but their way was blocked. So by Friday morning, the evacuations had stopped. |
| They resumed on Sunday, with convoys reaching eastern Aleppo and the Shiite villages, though it remained unclear how the attack on the buses would affect the rest of the evacuations. | They resumed on Sunday, with convoys reaching eastern Aleppo and the Shiite villages, though it remained unclear how the attack on the buses would affect the rest of the evacuations. |
| Videos posted online showed gunmen near the buses shouting “God is great” and using derogatory terms for Shiites. |