Eastern Ghouta Rebel Group to Exit Enclave Under Evacuation Deal

A Syrian rebel group in control of a town in Eastern Ghouta will be evacuated from the region as part of a Russian-brokered deal, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing opposition sources.

Ahrar al-Sham rebels in control of the town of Harasta will surrender the area to the Syrian government in return for a safe exit to opposition-held territory in Syria’s north and an offer of reconciliation for those who wish to stay.

This is the first evacuation agreement to be reached in Eastern Ghouta since the Syrian government stepped up attacks on the area last month.

It was not immediately clear, however, when such an evacuation would take place.

“The deal has been finalized and it could come into effect soon after a cease-fire is announced as early as Wednesday,” an unidentified official familiar with the talks told Reuters.

Separately, a rocket attack targeting a market in a government-held neighborhood of the capital killed at least 35 people and wounded more than 20 others on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

The government blamed rebels in Eastern Ghouta for the attack on the Kashkol neighborhood, which marked one of the highest death tolls in a single attack targeting Damascus.

Meanwhile, 36 people were killed in airstrikes and artillery attacks on Eastern Ghouta on Tuesday, the AP said, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). More than 1,500 people have been killed since the campaign started on February 18.

ISIS Seizes Damascus Neighborhood

The so-called Islamic State (ISIS) has driven pro-government forces from a neighborhood in southern Damascus, one week after it was abandoned by Syrian rebels, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Tuesday.

Militants gained full control of al-Qadam district after fierce clashes with government loyalists left at least 36 pro-government fighters dead this week, the war monitor said.

Pro-government forces had moved into the area last week after rebel groups evacuated the district as part of a deal reached with the Syrian government.

According to the SOHR, the Syrian government has dispatched reinforcements to the area in a bid to reclaim it from militants.

Israeli Military Confirms 2007 Attack on Alleged Nuclear Reactor in Syria

The Israeli military admitted for the first time on Wednesday that it launched an airstrike on a suspected nuclear reactor in Syria in 2007, the Associated Press reported.

The attack against the facility in the Deir Ezzor region, 300 miles (450km) northeast of Damascus, is considered one of the “most daring and mysterious operations in recent memory,” according to the AP.

It was not immediately clear why Israel decided to confirm the attack now.

“The move could be related to the upcoming memoir of former prime minister Ehud Olmert, who ordered the strike and has hinted about it for years, or it could be meant as a warning to archenemy Iran, which is active in Syria,” the AP said.

Recommended Reads:

• The Washington Post: How Syria’s Assad Prevailed, With the Help of Friends: QuickTake
• The Guardian: ‘I Gave Birth After My Husband’s Death’: Syrians Who Wed Foreign Fighters
• ABC News: Could ISIS Fight in Syria Be at Risk if Turkey Fights U.S.-Backed Kurds?
• BuzzFeed News: Here’s Why You Probably Won’t Read This Article About Syria
• Middle East Eye: Why Israel Struck a Syrian Nuclear Reactor a Decade Ago