the evacuation of opposition sites from a refugee camp is on hold due to an opposition leader killed in an air strike. you're watching al jazeera live from doha. coming up in the next half hour. 160,000 people are forced from their homes across fourth south american countries as rivers swell to their highest level in a century. a culture of complacency. japan is accused of tolerating child exploitation.

we report from central african republic. the u.n. special envoy to syria is insisting that peace talks will go ahead next month despite developments on the ground. the opposition has suffered a significant setback with the killing of a senior rebel commander. a deal to allow i.s.i.l. fighters and their families to withdraw from areas in southern damascus has been put on hold. lebanese hezbollah tv is reporting that is because the convoy was due to pass through territory controlled by jaysh al-islam whose leader zahran alloush was killed. his death threatens a fragile peace process. >> reporter: jaysh al-islam has a new commander. issam al-buwidani takes over following the death of zahran

alloush in a syrian government air strike. the armed group which is based on the outskirts of damascus vowed revenge. the syrian opposition has condemned the killing of zahran alloush. the prime minister nominated in an interim government announced by the syrian opposition in exile in 2013. he says that zahran alloush could have been key to the success of planned talks to solve the syrian crisis. >> translation: they killed a man who was going to play a crucial role in syria. the death of zahran alloush could be start of more killings of prominent commanders and politicians. >> reporter: the rebel commander was killed the same day that the syrian government announced a deal with i.s.i.l. and al-nusra front and al-qaeda affiliate. the deal was to allow fighters of the two groups and their families a safe passage out of

damascus in exchange of their pulling out of the refugee camp on the outskirts of the city and the nearby neighborhood. the deal was seen by the opposition as an indication the syrian government colonel lewding-- colluding with i.s.i.l. >> translation: it has reflected from the fact that what is happening is a fight for political rights and against tyranny to invite a regime against i.s.i.l. for the international community, the fight against i.s.i.l. comes first. >> reporter: these are delicate times for the opposition. over the last two years it has lost significant ground in southern aleppo, moms and other areas. many of its commanders have been killed and is coming under pressure to talk with bashar al-assad. >> reporter: joining talks with

the major arch enemy has been a problem. some of their heavy weight such as the french and americans are no longer insisting on an immediate departure of the syrian president the former iraqi ambassador to the united snagss says that the developments are a boost to the syrian regime. >> mr zahran alloush having been some sort of a moderate is somewhat surprising to me considering some of his rather immoderate statements about groups in general which would have been calculated to scare them rather than to reassure them. i know he backed away from some of those comments more recently before his death, but it is very

difficult to sort out the partys. in sir it is a truly doctor - syria it is a truly difficult mess. you can't score the players without a score card. all of this is to the benefit of a regime responsible for far more deaths of syrian civilians than even i.s.i.l. and al-qaeda. it is an unfortunate situation brought about by the world looking away for too long i think iraqi kurdish forces have raided a town. u.s. command yos were also involved in the operation. the u.s. has denied this. several i.s.i.l. fighters have been killed and others captured. it comes two months after the u.s. and peshmerga groups had an

operation freeing captives. forces say they have been intense battle whiz i.s.i.l. fighters over a key area of ramadi city. u.s. led air strikes are helping soldiers push deeper into the last remaining districts held by i.s.i.l. dozens of families are thought to be stuck close to the come bah bat area-- combat area. displaced sunni iraqis are calling on the u.n. to provide safe passage home. many say they have been abused in sectarian violence and fear more attacks. >> translation: we used to-- >> reporter: he used to be a soldier. he says he used to be a soldier and captured by shia militias. his crime was being sunni. he showed us burn marks on his

body when he was tortured for ten days at a youth center which was used as a prison. he says his uncle who was a police officer died after being tortured by the same militia. >> translation: they used to hang us and ten people hit me. they used an electric torch on me. nylon set alight was put on my body. >> reporter: this area is a ghost taub after tens of thousands of its people were forced out of its homes. those we spoke to say there was no i.s.i.l. fighters there. after militias took over they have been denied entry back to their own areas. it is not the first time militias have been accused of abuses here. human rights watch says that militia abusers are wreaking

havoc among people. everyone here has a horror story. the sectarian divide is everywhere in this camp. people are afraid to go back to their homes. they want an international body like the united nations to guarantee their safety. rf is among those asking for guarantees and compensation. he says the city was unsiege and the army turned blind eyes. >> translation: they came and started to kill indiscriminately. the militias destroyed houses, took our belongings and cattle and burnt everything down. we travelled day and night without food onning anything else. >> reporter: they are an important part of the fight against i.s.i.l. >> translation: for us, this issue is silly and has no effect on us. as we continue to make progress, we will get more accusations.

we don't care about it. we expect it. >> reporter: the sectarian distrust and fear runs deep in this community and thousands who don't want to return are coming to terms with this as their new homes palestinian protesters have fought with israeli security forces in the occupied west bank. the clashes happened just hours after the funeral of a palestinian woman killed by police on christmas day. israeli police say the woman was shot dead when she tried to ram her car into security officers. at least 126 palestinians have been killed by israeli fire sydney mid-septemberened 20 israelis have been killed by palestinian attacks in that same period. at least 160,000 people have been forced from their homes by heavy rains and flooding in south america. experts are blaming the bad weather on the el nino

phenomenon. >> reporter: of the four south american countries dealing with their worst floods in years, paraguay's is the most severe. more than 100,000 people have had to leave their homes and belongings behind and movp to higher ground-- move. the river has reached three and a half metres above its regular level and it is close to bursting its banks. that could lead to widespread flooding across the capital city. the president has declared a state of emergency to help mobilise the army and free up funds for those in need >> translation: this pains me. you sea elderly peep, old men and women carrying their belongings over their heads >> reporter: many people are refusing to move to higher ground concerned about looting >> translation: i have my apartment here. that's why i didn't leave. if you do leave the thieves will clean you out.

everything you have they will take >> translation: i'm not leaving because if i do thieves will take everything. they will take things away on anything, rafts, boats. i just can't leave >> reporter: tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in argentina, brazil and uraguay as well. heavy rain has been falling since last week, swelling rivers. some sperlts have linked-- experts have linked the weather to a stronger than usually el nino phenomenon. the u.n.'s weather agency says this year el nino is the worst in more than 15 years for people have been killed in severe weather in the u.s. state of texas. that takes the death toll across the southern united states to 22 in the past week. another tornado has struck in alabam a.

the area is under a state of emergency because of tornadoes and flooding. power has been knocked out by storms this week. u.k. prime minister david cameron has called for an emergency meeting dealing with floods. thousands of homes are without power. december is on course to be the u.k.'s wettest month on record. still ahead on al jazeera, a medical breakthrough. doctors treating babies in the womb. plus we meet the refugees in south sudan using arts and crafts to bring people together. ogether.

>> our american story is written everyday. it's not always pretty, but it's real... and we show you like no-one else can. this is our american story. this is america tonight.

welcome back. a quick recap. the u.n. envoy to syria is insisting that peace talks will go ahead despite warnings from the opposition. a deal to allow rebels, including i.s.i.l. fighters, to leave areas in southern damascus has been suspended. it is on hold following the killing of a powerful rebel leader in an air strike. iraqi kurdish forces have raided an i.s.i.l. base. kurdish media is quoting police saying that u.s. commandos were also involved in the operation but the u.s. has denies this. at least six people have died in some of the worst flooding in south america for decades. around 160,000 people have been forced from their homes. a state of emergency has been declared in paraguay. relatives of 43 missing students

and hundreds of their supporters have taken to the streets of mexico's capital. they're trying to keep the pressure on the government to tell them what happened to their loved ones. a report from mexico city. >> reporter: the anger towards the mexican government you can co-ed on the-- echoeked on the streets. among the chants these are the people who are destroying our country. the agony of the families of 43 missing students has been described as a permanent torture. the men are believed to be dead. but the truth of exactly what happened to them has yet to emerge more than a year later. independent investigators say they were kidnapped after trying to hijack buses for transport. a common move for students in mexico. the investigation also found that the mexican government lied and withheld information from the families. >> translation: i have seen

repression and the social demands have been growing because people are disappearing and now we are demanding that the government give us back the students alive. >> reporter: the mexican government is refusing to lodge a new investigation. so the hope is that independent experts will expose the truth, but knows experts say they-- those experts say they still need assistance from the government >> translation: fortunately the parents' protests during the last year and legal action has help with the events. >> reporter: the relatives have been protesting in makes co city each month with more than 20,000 people believed to be missing across the country. their activism is being viewed by some as representing the conscience of all mexicans in argentina hopes for a family reunion between a 92-year-old grandmother and her long lost ground daughter have ended in disappointment. a woman had identified herself of the relative. she is one of the founders of a

group that aims to find families separated during the military dictatorship. official dna tests showed the woman who came forward is not related to her. >> translation: she is very sad. we are concerned about her health. we are just with her. she asked us to speak with you and insisted on the gratitude for all who sent along their best wishes. she has got to the same result, to continue fighting china is effectively expelling a french journalist after she wrote an article criticizing the government's treatment of muslims. the government says they will not renew her credentials. she was reporting cruel acts which killed people which are being claimed absurd. she will become the fors foreign journalist to be forced to leave common asince 20 #.

the u.n. expert on child abuse is urging-- 2012. ownership of child pornography only become a crime last year. hard-core cometic books are still available. school girls in uniforms are being used by cafes to increase business. >> reporter: it is the weekend, but she is still wearing her school uniform. it is part of the job, drumming up business where adult men pay to sit and chat with tunneling age girls-- teenage girls. >> translation: some of the men are my grandpa's age and i do sometimes get short of things to talk about >> reporter: if says it beats her old restaurant job insisting that her customers treat her well >> translation: they say you are cute. >> reporter: it is something her boss makes sure of, of selecting staff between 15 to 18-year-old girls. >> translation: basically they need to be pretty.

this is an absolute requirement. they should look slim and stylish and also be smart. >> reporter: in october the u.n. special group on child exploitation angered the government by saying that up to 30% of children had taken part in this. later the figure wasn't fish and would not be in her final report. campaigners argue that the lack of official figure says a sign of complacency. >> this shows that the concept of dating has been discussed for a long time. 20 years. in japan we don't really have data for that. >> reporter: for groups like lighthouse the problem goes behind dimly lit-- behind dimly café. images were made illegal but not cartoon depictions.

containers tell us that they can be used by child abusers to convince their young victims that their criminal behaviour is, in fact, perfectly normal. we're given a tip about one location where a lot more than conversation is on offer. teenagers in adult entertainment is illegal but it is good for business. here massages are on the menu. >> i can massage the girl? >> yes. >> reporter: next-door i'm told only chatting is on offer, but the menu listed slapped and head and putting your head on a girl's lap. >> translation: sometimes i explain there is something like this has happened in the past. so please don't sit next to the customers. >> reporter: this is a world full of fine gradualations and d - gradations.

it's about young girls being sold to old men security in the central african republic is tight ahead of elections. wednesday's vote aims to restore stability after two years of conflict between muslim rebels and christian fighters. >> reporter: his signature means a second chance. this leader of a christian group ask releasing 18 child soldiers. they have all seen and some dan things no child should be a part of. he took up arms after his father was killed by fighters in 2013. he wants to put it all behind him. >> translation: every time if a central african went to a muslim area, he would be killed and vice versa. i couldn't just stand and wait fog something bad to happen. i can't be angry and bitter any more. >> reporter: his chance of a

better future has improved in recent weeks as security in this war ravaged country has too. with so many armed groups still loose, he is under no illusions about how fragile the current calm is. >> we are just trying to do all these elections, referendum. there is no peace agreement so far. then one day one of the factions for one reason or another can just go back to square one. >> reporter: the central african army has come back on the streets in recent weeks too taking over some of the u.n. peacekeepers patrols. >> translation: the national forces are the ones that know their neighborhoods, those who are thought to be holding weapons. the international community has impressive sources, but the national forces can gather precise information faster. >> reporter: only in the last few weeks police have been stopping cars on a daily basis.

streets that were quiet a few months ago are now busy. it is check points like this that are making people feel confident and safer about voting. if the mrcse passes peacefully, the long-term stability of their could depend on whoever ones can form an inclusive government. that means mending sectarian fights that have turned children's into soldiers. there are thousands more young hold hands holding weapons in car. the more they're occupied in games and not war, the better the future looks skirmishs continue in south sudan despite a peace deal signed in august. tens of thousands of people and displaced 20 million from the war. -- two million. >> reporter: inside a house some

south sudanese craft is shown off >> this is from an area. this is traditionally a neck late with a bone decorator would fire, the patterns there >> reporter: after 20 years as a refugee abroad she came back to help rebuild the country of her birth >> translation: i always had an interest in living back here. i knew there was a lot that is required. being able to contribute in one way or the other was definitely something that influenced my studies, influenceed what i wanted to do. >> reporter: part of that contribution is an effort to preserve the culture of south sudan. at this craft market run by the patch organization, a trader demonstrates trashily craft. -- traditional craft. >> translation: you do it like this. you use it for the smoking

>> reporter: at this women's cooperative, people from all parts to make beaded jeryl re. the president accused his deputy of attempting a coup. fighting was fuelled by a debate as to whether south sudan has a national identity. it is hoped that people will feel better connected to one another through the cultural practices they have in common, which clues these hasn'ted crafts-- handy crafts. >> reporter: a lot were refugees in wars from neighbouring countries. these traditional skills have been lost. what this project is aiming to do is bring together the older generation with the younger one in the hope that they can pass on these skills and that crafts like these can be revived south africa's last apartheid president has condemned a campaign to remove

the statue as followy. the rhodes must fall movement started at the university where a statute was taken town. another students wanted the statue removed. they say his views on white supreme see contradict the culture at the university. scientists are developing tools that could be used to perform safer surgery inside the womb. university college of london and catholic university in belgium are collaborating on the project. it is hoped that their work will makes complex foetal surgery a reality. >> reporter: a healthy ultrasounds relief for annex pact taint mother. it is not always the case. genetic birth defects can be seen as early as 12 weeks. when scans highlight a problem there are few options. open the mother up and perform

surgery on the foetus, highly dangerous and leaving the mother possibly not being able to have more children and keyhole surgery. scientists are increasing tools to increase the options but allowing surgery on unborn babies. >> this is going to help us to be more clever, to do is earlier in pregnancy and have a better long-term outcome for the babies we treat >> reporter: surgeries to prepare holidays in the heart or spinabfifida are often too risky to contemplate. surgeons will usually only operate when there is a real tlugt that the baby or babies will die. already some wound surgery takes place. for instance, this procedure, to balance the blood and knew entrepreneurs between two trines-- nutrients-- between two

twins. tools are being stained. it is a seven year 17 million dollar project funded by the british government and the welcome trust. more than proceed toe types and more research is ahead, but one day a tiny flexible probe will go into the mother's skin and into the use russia. it will carry a camera, an scalpel and a laser and assisted by a robotic arm which will compensate for the slightly the slightest shake in a surgeon's hand. the challenge is greater because of the tiny space and poor visibility. one wrong move can damage the unborn baby. you have got a lot of challenging things around and you need to be able to take care of the foetus and the mother. it does make the environment more challenging and the tools we have to use have to be as small as possible.

>> reporter: these small tools all coming together to reduce the surgery and revolutionise foetal medicine for all the latest news on our website at al jazeera.com >> is that the most valuable? >> there is one tiny distinction that makes it more valuable, was it stained with moon dust. >> moon swag. what would it cost on the moon? >> this is highly affordable. anybody should be able to make that. >> without doubt. >> america's food desert. it is no secret that america is