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Conflict in Syria

Over 41,000 militants, their family members leave East Ghouta — Russian Defense Ministry

The militants left the settlements of Erbin, Jobar, Ein Tarma and Zamalka

© Danny Makki via AP

MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. More than 41,000 militants of the Faylaq al-Rahman group and their family members have left four settlements in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta, the head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the opposing sides in Syria, Maj. Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko said.

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Over 30 hostages released during large-scale operation in Syria — Russian Defense Ministry

"A total of 41,126 militants and their family members left the settlements of Erbin, Jobar, Ein Tarma and Zamalka," Yevtushenko said.

"All of them, accompanied by vehicles of security services of the Syrian Arab Republic, ambulance vehicles of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and Russian military police officers were taken to the Qalaat al-Madiq settlement in the Idlib de-escalation zone," he added.

The Russian official said the successful operation on the withdrawal of the Ahrar al-Sham and Faylaq al-Rahman armed groups demonstrated the viability of efforts to persuade the Jaysh al-Islam radical group, still active in Eastern Ghouta, to lay down weapons.

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