Syrian army says vetting Aleppo evacuees
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BEIRUT -- A senior military official in Damascus says security measures are in place to secure and vet the thousands of people fleeing rebel-held eastern Aleppo to government territories.
The official says the measures aim to ensure that no opposition fighters are fleeing among the civilians and no terrorist attacks are carried out during the influx of thousands of displaced residents. The official said 20,000 left besieged Aleppo Tuesday.
He denied any revenge attacks or arbitrary detention took place. The official spoke to The Associated Press by telephone on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
The official said it is not clear how long the Aleppo offensive would last, describing collapsing moral and opposition defenses in a campaign he said mobilized a large segment of army troops to eradicate what he called "terrorists."
