Shoygu: 65% of Eastern Ghouta is freed

About 80,000 people have been taken from Eastern Ghouta within five days through humanitarian corridors, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu has announced today, EADaily’s correspondent reports.

“At present time, a unique operation unprecedented in terms of its scale is being conducted in Eastern Ghouta. It is led by the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria. Within last five hours, 79,655 people were taken from there through established humanitarian corridors. More than 65% of the Eastern Ghouta territory is freed,” the defense minister said.

As Shoygu noted, major effort of Russian officers is directed at securing safe exit from the blockaded areas for peaceful citizens as well as at organizing delivery of humanitarian aid from Russia to evacuated Syrians.

He added that despite constant attempts of the militants to derail the peaceful initiatives in Eastern Ghouta, the Russian side is in permanent talks with leaders of the militant groups aiming at stopping the military actions and avert a humanitarian disaster.

The minister reminded that more than 1,300,000 refugees have returned to liberated territories since the beginning of the Russian military operation in Syria.

To remind, in early 2017, within a negotiation process in Astana initiated by Russia, Turkey, and Iran, agreements were drafted to establish four de-escalation areas in Syria. One of them is in Eastern Ghouta where the situation still remains tense.