DAMASCUS (Xinhua) - The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) on Saturday evacuated as many as 1,500 civilians from a conflict zone in the countryside of Syria's capital of Damascus.
Most of the evacuees were women and children who were stuck in the hotspot of Muadamieh, west of Damascus, SARC said in a statement, adding they were relocated into shelters in the countryside of Damascus.
The news came as local media said that the Syrian army opened routes for civilians to leave Muadamieh, which has emerged as a battlefield for intense clashes between the rebels and the Syrian troops.
SARC has been carrying out its work amid tough security conditions in the war-torn country. The non-governmental organization has lost about 22 of its volunteers while trying to reach the needy people across Syria.