DAMASCUS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The last rebel batch started evacuating Barzeh neighborhood, northeast of Syria's capital Damascus on Monday, a military source told Xinhua.
Around 10 busses transporting rebels and their families left Barzeh on Monday toward rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib and Jarablus city in Aleppo province's countryside, said the source, on condition of anonymity.
Around 500 rebels and their families have so far been evacuated on Monday, with the total number of the last batch estimated at 2,500 rebels and civilians, the source added.
Monday's evacuation is the fourth from Barzeh since the operation started in May.
Following the final evacuation's completion, Barzeh will be declared a rebel-free neighborhood.
Yet, the total number of Barzeh evacuees remain undeclared.
Barzeh reached a "reconciliation" deal with the government in 2014, and the neighborhood stayed relatively calm, with slight breaches of the deal taking place every now and again by al-Qaida-linked groups.
However, as the Russian-sponsored de-escalation zones' deal went into effect last April, stipulating Idlib as a safe zone, more rebels are choosing to relocate to that rebel-held area.
Apart from al-Qaida-linked groups, other rebel groups wanting a reconciliation with the government remain in Barzeh.
