More Syrian rebels, families leave city of Homs under deal

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, a Syrian opposition gunmen, left, carries their weapon as some family members leave the al-Waer neighborhood bound for a town on the Turkish border, in Homs, Syria, Monday, March 27, 2017. Syrian state TV said Monday that another group of rebels with their families are leaving the last opposition-held neighborhood in the central city of Homs under a Russia-brokered deal with the government. The opposition fighters agreed to leave and the evacuations first started on March 18, after years of siege and bombardment at the hands of pro-government forces. (SANA via AP) (The Associated Press)

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, a Syrian opposition gunman, center left, carries his weapon as some family members leave the al-Waer neighborhood bound for a town on the Turkish border, in Homs, Syria, Monday, March 27, 2017. Syrian state TV said Monday that another group of rebels with their families are leaving the last opposition-held neighborhood in the central city of Homs under a Russia-brokered deal with the government. The opposition fighters agreed to leave and the evacuations first started on March 18, after years of siege and bombardment at the hands of pro-government forces. (SANA via AP) (The Associated Press)

Syrian state TV says another group of rebels with their families are leaving the last opposition-held neighborhood in the central city of Homs under a Russia-brokered deal with the Damascus government.

The TV says Monday's round of evacuations from al-Waer neighborhood is the second one so far and involves 466 people — including 129 fighters.

The opposition fighters agreed to leave al-Waer after years of siege and bombardment at the hands of pro-government forces. They were guaranteed safe passage to rebel-held parts of northern Syria.

The evacuations are expected to last weeks, after which the government will be able to claim control over the entire city for the first time in years.

Some opposition activists have criticized the agreement, saying it aims to displace 12,000 al-Waer residents, including 2,500 fighters.

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