Agreement with rebels: residents return to Daraa

The ceasefire in the province of Daraa, in southern Syria, seems to hold. At least 20,000 refugees have returned home. The Assad regime seems to have won another important victory.

At least 20,000 Syrian refugees have returned home in the south of the country following massive bombings in recent days. The fighting has been largely suspended since Friday afternoon, after rebels from Daraa province and Russia, Syria's ally, agreed on a similar deal, the Observatory reported. Syrian human rights. Part of the deal is the transfer of heavy weapons by the rebels. It was negotiated by Russia.

More than 320,000 people have fled the UN bombing and air strikes in recent days. Tens of thousands of people remained defenseless on the Jordanian border.

Despite the negotiated agreement, thousands of refugees are afraid to return home to Daraa. "The Syrian Army is looking for me," said Abu Mohammed, 45, of the German news agency Daraa. "My family has been in Jordan for four years."

The rebels are cut off supplies

The Sana news agency reported that the army had taken control of the Syrian-Jordanian border Friday afternoon. The rebels had controlled it for three years. Not only are the rebels cut off from supplies, but border control also allows the government to boost trade with neighboring Jordan.

Symbolically important victory for Assad

Assad-loyal media Agreements as a capitulation of rebels dar Fighters should therefore leave with their families in southern Syria and be brought into the region of Idlib controlled by the rebels in the north, they do not want to stay in Daraa. A rebel spokesman told AFP: "This agreement was the best we could achieve to save the lives of our fighters." According to Reuters news agency, the rebels have been able to enforce only the militia, but the Russian military police are resettled in the region.

Daraa is seen as the starting point for protests against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. which is still controlled by the rebels. The reconquest of the province is a significant symbolic victory for Assad