83 dazed Syrians evacuated from Homs' besieged Old City

http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-syria-homs-evacuate-20140208,0,397921.story



Evacuations are to continue in the Old City of Homs, Syria, for several days. Some people have been trapped a year or more.

83 dazed Syrians evacuated from Homs' besieged Old City
By Patrick J. McDonnell
February 7, 2014, 5:42 p.m.

HOMS, Syria — They were stuck in their apartments for long stretches, hustling for whatever food was available. Sniper fire and shelling were constant. There was only occasional cellphone contact with the outside world. Running water and electricity were rare.

A complex deal hammered out by the Syrian government, the United Nations and rebels led to a temporary cease-fire and the evacuation of 83 people from the Old City of Homs, many of them trapped for a year or more inside a rubble-strewn battleground.

Their plight garnered global attention during last month's peace talks in Geneva. But it wasn't until Friday that the besieged residents of the city's historic center received some measure of relief. The fragile advance could prove important as another round of Geneva peace talks begins Monday. The government has been under intense international pressure to show it is committed to improving access for aid to blockaded areas.

Evacuations from Homs' Old City are scheduled to continue for several days. Deliveries of food and other aid are expected to begin this weekend. About 1,500 to 2,000 civilians remain, according to estimates, though no one knows for sure.