The Syrian government and militant groups operating in the Al-Qaboun district east of Damascus have reached today an agreement in order to stop hostilities and to evacuate militants from the district to the city of Idlib, according to Al-Masdar News (AMN) website. The militants will also leave the nearby area of Barzeh nearby according to the same agreement, according to AMN.
Yesterday, Syrian forces captured 45 buildings in the western and southwestern parts of Al-Qaboun while the Al-Rahman Corps managed to destroy an IMR-2M vehicle during clashes around the electricity building in the district.
Click to see the full-size image
Meanwhile, members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have been evacuating from the Yarmouk camp south of Damascus. This move is a part of the Al-Fawa Kafriya – Zabadani Madaya agreement. As soon as this is done, the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA) will be deployed in this area.
Factions of the Free Syrian Army, Ahrar al-Sham and HTS have failed counter Syrian Arab Army efforts in the countryside of Damascus. Their defeats in Khan al-Sheikh in 2016, in Wadi Barada in 2017 and now in Al-Qaboun.
If the reported al-Qaboun agreement is implemented, the SAA will likely push towards similar agreements in Babila, Yald and Beit Sahm, south of Damascus and may launch a military operation agains ISIS in the Al-Hjar Al-Asoud area.
And HTS evacuating Yarmouk camp also. This is good news! Time to bring in the green buses and ship them all to their Idlib paradise. This will free up SAA forces for their advance east against ISUS.
Green bus operators are rubbing their hands in glee already. They seem to be the only real winners of this war.