Russia, architect of the Syrian humanitarian corridors

Russiawhich announced humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians in Ukrainehas already organized this type of evacuation of civilians and combatants in Syriawhere it has been present since 2015 supporting the government of President Bashar Al Asad.

In 2016, more than 200,000 people left the rebel zones of the provinces of Aleppo (north), Daraa (south) and Eastern Ghouta, near Damascus, as a result of agreements sponsored by Russia, an ally of the Syrian regime.

These evacuations were marked by violence, which complicated the arrival of humanitarian aid and endangered the lives of thousands of people.

“In Ukraine, the risks are the same as in Syria,” explains Emma Beals of the Middle East Institute.

In some cases, humanitarian corridors are in territory controlled by fighters, so they can be attacked, he says.

Aleppo

In November 2016, the Damascus regime launches an offensive to regain control of the Aleppo neighborhoods where the rebels have been entrenched since 2012.

According to the United Nations, about 40,000 civilians and 1,500 combatants are then blockaded in the east of the city.

In December 2016, an agreement between Russia, Iran and Turkey — which supported opposition parties — establishes humanitarian corridors.

From December 15 to 22, at least 34,000 people leave the area, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

But some residents say they have been detained for hours at checkpoints of the regime and pro-Iranian fighters.

On the second day of the evacuation, an ambulance carrying wounded is hit by gunfire.

eastern gutta

Eight days after the start of an offensive in Eastern Ghouta on February 18, 2018, Russia implements a daily five-hour humanitarian truce to allow civilians to leave the area.

During the first truce, on February 26, clashes left seven dead. Terrified and hungry, the inhabitants –some 400,000– refuse to use the humanitarian corridors.

On March 5, a humanitarian aid convoy cuts its deliveries in the rebel-held part of Eastern Ghouta due to regime bombing. Moscow then decides to negotiate agreements with the rebels so that their relatives are evacuated to regions controlled by the opposition.

As of March 22, more than 67,000 people leave Ghouta by bus. The evacuations are directly supervised by Moscow.

In addition to Russian military police checkpoints, passenger names are recorded, and Syrian troops inspect the rebels’ bags and weapons.

darah

In July 2018, the regime concludes an agreement with the rebel groups through Russia, which includes an immediate ceasefire in Daraa and the evacuation of fighters opposed to the agreement to Idlib.

Hundreds of fighters and their families leave for the north of the country and their vehicles are searched by Russian forces.

In August 2021, Russia negotiates a second wave of departures after the worst fighting between rebels and regime forces since 2018. Dozens of fighters and family members leave Daraa by bus.