DAMASCUS, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) evacuated four people with tough medical conditions from the rebel-held eastern Ghouta countryside of the capital Damascus, the ICRC spokesperson told Xinhua Wednesday.
The evacuation took place late time Tuesday, right before midnight, and included three children and one grownup, Inji Sidki told Xinhua.
The families of the children have also accompanied them to hospitals inside Damascus, Sidki said.
She added that the evacuees have different illnesses such as cancer, kidney failure, and immune deficiency.
The four evacuees are part of 29 people suffering similar conditions that are set to evacuate within days.
Meanwhile, opposition activists said the evacuation is part of a deal that will also see the release of 29 detainees from opposition jails in eastern Ghouta, where around 400,000 people live.
Humanitarian workers sent an outcry about the tough humanitarian situation inside eastern Ghouta, which is under the government siege.
Eastern Ghouta has emerged as a stronghold for various strong rebel groups, mainly Jaish al-Islam, and other groups affiliated with al-Qaida such as the Levant Liberation Committee.
The area has been a launching pad for attacks on the capital and various battles have been launched by the army with the backing of airstrikes to quell the momentum of the rebel groups inside the sprawling area that contains several towns and agricultural terrains.
