DAMASCUS, March 9 (Xinhua) -- A total of 13 rebels on Friday left rebel-held areas in the Syrian capital Damascus' Eastern Ghouta countryside toward a government-run crossing point to be evacuated to an unknown destination, state TV reported.
The 13 rebels reached the humanitarian crossing in the Wafidin area in northeastern Damascus on Friday evening and were inspected before they got on a bus that will transport them to an unknown destination, which is more likely to be rebel-held areas in Idlib province in northwestern Syria.
The presenter of the TV said some of the rebels who surrendered to be transported to Idlib are under 18 years old.
More batches are expected to leave in the near future, the TV said.
The small group's evacuation marks the first departure of rebels from Eastern Ghouta since the Russian-backed daily humanitarian pause in Eastern Ghouta went into effect on Feb. 27 following the adoption of the UN Security Resolution 2401, which was endorsed on Feb. 24 and called for a 30-day-long humanitarian ceasefire.
It also comes two days after the Russian military had offered the rebels in Eastern Ghouta a safe passage out, setting out a proposal to let the rebels surrender their last major stronghold on the eastern rim of Damascus.