Fighters and civilians were evacuated from Harasta in Eastern Ghouta on Thursday, according to Syria TV. The channel stated that 547 people have fled so far, of whom 88 are militants.

The evacuation was a part of an unprecedented agreement between Jaysh Al-Islam and Russia in the besieged area which has been under Assad fire for almost a month.

A military official told AFP that the buses were gathered midway between the two parties before going to the regime-controlled area, and then to Idlib.

Nineteen civilians were killed earlier on Thursday by Russian and Syrian airstrikes in Eastern Ghouta, according to the British-based Syrian Monitor for Human Rights.