Hopes for evacuation as buses reach Aleppo and rebel-besieged villages

Evacuation buses reached the villages of Foua and Kefraya on Sunday afternoon, raising hopes that the evacuation of those villages and rebel-held parts of Aleppo could resume soon. 

The situation in Foua and Kefraya has been a major sticking point in negotiations over the fate of Aleppo, with the Syrian government demanding that they are evacuated at the same time as the last rebel-held pockets of Aleppo. 

Around 1,200 people will be evacuated from the two Shia-majority villages, state media reported, and a similar number will be moved out of east Aleppo if all goes according to plan. 

Syrian state television reported on Sunday afternoon that fighters and civilians will be allowed to leave Aleppo in exchange for the successful evacuation of Fouah and Kefraya, which are besieged by rebel forces.