Nearly 11,000 people exit E. Ghouta via 2nd humanitarian passage on Thursday - Russian Defense Ministry
HMEIMIM (Syria). March 16 (Interfax) - The 17th humanitarian pause took place in Syria's Eastern Ghouta on Thursday, the head of the Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria, Maj. Gen. Yury Yevtushenko, said at a press briefing on Thursday evening.
"Negotiations between the reconciliation center and leaders of the armed groups operating in the Douma area created favorable conditions for the continued evacuation of civilians via the humanitarian passage in Muhayam al-Wafedin. Some 291 people used this passage today. The total number of civilians evacuated via the passage since February 28 is 728," Yevtushenko said.
"The second humanitarian passage, which opened at 6 a.m. today in the towns of Hamuriah, Saqba, and Hazzah south of Duma, provided the evacuation of 10,912 people," he said.
"As many as 11,640 people have been evacuated with the assistance of the Russian center for reconciliation of opposing sides since the establishment of humanitarian pauses in Eastern Ghouta," he said.
Meanwhile, the reconstruction of social infrastructure and the promotion of peace in Syrian provinces encourage people into coming home, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Eleven people returned home in the Homs province, and 437 people more in the Deir ez-Zor province (on the east bank of the Euphrates River) over the day. Some 200 residents carrying their belongings came back to the Aleppo province from the Idlib de-escalation area via the Tell Sultan - Abu ad-Duhur humanitarian passage," Yevtushenko said.