Syrian children laugh with a Syrian soldier in the al-Waer neighborhood in Homs city, Syria, on May 21, 2017. The last batch of rebels evacuated their last stronghold in the al-Waer neighborhood, making the entire city under the government control. The last buses carrying rebels and their families evacuated al-Waer neighborhood, their last stronghold in Homs city. (Xinhua/Hummam Sheikh Ali)
by Hummam Sheikh Ali
HOMS, Syria, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The once-called "Capital of Revolution" is now free of the rebels who called it so, as the last batch of rebels evacuated their last stronghold in the al-Waer neighborhood on Sunday, making the entire city of Homs under the government control.
Some masked, some not, dragging their luggage and holding rifles, rebels of different groups took their seats in the buses transporting them toward rebel-held areas in northern Syria.
Their evacuation was due to a deal concluded between them and the government under the supervision and mediation of Russia.
Their families left with them, with kids and women dragging their bags, some of whom seemed sad for leaving Homs.
It's one of the very few instances when rebels get so close to the cameras, and journalists.
When Xinhua reporters were at the entrance of al-Waer, hundreds of rebels evacuated as a last batch between Thursday and Sunday.
The normal ones were without masks, while those with the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front got their faces covered with a headband showing the symbol of Nusra.
All of them flashed the "victory sign" even though they were leaving their last stronghold in Homs.
The women, however, were the most emotional.
Two women, covering half of their faces, told reporters that "we are not terrorists and we haven't held guns, but we are leaving because there is no other choice."
Apparently, not all of them were fine with the deeds of their husbands, most of whom are rebels fighting against the government.
Buses kept moving out and gathered at the Misyaf Highway in Homs for their departure.
During the process, the journalists were taken out of the neighborhood, in what later appeared to be the evacuation of rebel commanders who are Arab nationals that didn't want to appear before the media, as their countries were supporting their evacuations.
At sunset, Homs Governor Talal Barazi broke the news that al-Waer is empty of rebels, and thus the entire city of Homs is rebel-free.
He stressed that the police will assume positions inside the neighborhood, adding that the government institutions will resume their work to provide all services to the civilians.
The governor made his declaration at a square near the entrance of the neighborhood, with people gathering around him saluting the government and the army for restoring peace to the neighborhood.
Both Russian and Syrian flags were hoisted, and Russian military police, who came along with the governor, were feted by civilians.
Muhammad, a teacher, told Xinhua that he remained in al-Waer during the time of the rebel control.
"It's a nightmare that is over now," he said bitterly. "May God take revenge from them."
Samar, a woman from the neighborhood, said her life was marred with "horror, hunger and despair," but she had "hope again."
The evacuation came following a deal struck with the government in 2015 to grant the rebels safe passage toward rebel-held areas in northern Syria.
Several hurdles faced the full implementation of the deal before its reactivation in March.
Since March, 12 batches of rebels and their relatives have left al-Waer, with the total number of evacuees estimated at over 17,000, 7,000 of whom were rebels, according to the state TV.
Previous statistics indicated that al-Waer, which has been besieged by government forces since 2014, had 300,000 people before the six-year-old war erupted in Syria, and then the number decreased to 75,000.
For the government, regaining the neighborhood is a significant progress which will enable them to regain full control of Homs, Syria's third largest city.
It's also the heart of Syria due to its location in the central part of the country.
Homs is also one of Syria's most important industrial centers, boasting the country's largest oil refinery and key oil and gas fields in its eastern countryside.
The city is also a hub connecting major Syrian cities, and gaining full control over the city will be an important step for the government to have full control over Syria's other major five cities of Damascus, Homs, Latakia, Aleppo and Hama.
For the rebels, losing their last stronghold in Homs is a major blow, following the huge defeat they suffered when government forces recaptured the entire city of Aleppo in December last year, after the rebels' evacuation from the eastern part of the key city in northern Syria.
Rebels call Homs the "Capital of Revolution," as it was one of the first cities to join the anti-government movement in Syria in mid-March 2011.
