EASTERN GHOUTA /Syria/, March 26. /TASS/. More than 114,000 people have left Eastern Ghouta through humanitarian corridors since the declaration of humanitarian pauses, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the opposing sides in Syria said in a statement on Monday.
"More than 114,000 people have left Eastern Ghouta with the assistance of the Russian Center for Reconciliation since humanitarian pauses were declared," the statement reads. "Civilians continue to leave the area through humanitarian corridors, receiving humanitarian aid and medical assistance," the document adds.
Since the morning of March 26, the Russian Center for Reconciliation provided a passage for more than 400 civilians leaving the enclave through the Al-Wafideen humanitarian corridor. "Officers from the Center for Reconciliation distributed hot meals, 500 additional food kits and bolted drinking water among new refugees," sources in the Center said.
On February 24, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2401, calling for a cessation of hostilities in Syria. Following that, daily five-hour humanitarian pauses were declared in Eastern Ghouta starting from February 27 in order to provide civilians and unarmed militants with an opportunity to leave the area. Militants disrupted humanitarian pauses in the first several days but later the situation normalized.
On March 13, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced the cessation of military activities in the town of Douma, which paved the wave for a large-scale exit of civilians to territories controlled by the government forces.