BEIRUT — The Latest on developments related to Syria (all times local):6:05 p.m.Syrian state media and a rebel spokesman say a deal has been reached to evacuate 7,500 gunmen and their families from a town in eastern Ghouta to an opposition-held province in northern Syria. The deal would be the first instance of fighters evacuating the rebel-held region east of Damascus which has been under a ferocious government air and ground assault for a month. The state-run Addounia TV says 1,500 gunmen and 6000 of their relatives would be evacuated Thursday from the town of Harasta would be evacuated in two batches to Idlib. ——3:40 p.m.German Chancellor Angela Merkel is condemning the bombing of rebel-held eastern Ghouta and also calling the situation in the northern Syrian district of Afrin unacceptable. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Wednesday put the death toll from the attack in Kashkol neighbourhood even higher, at 43, including 11 pro-government fighters.

Source: National Post March 21, 2018 12:59 UTC