Deal to end tension in Syria's Daraa reached under Russian mediation

DAMASCUS: A deal to end the recent tension in Syria's southern province of Daraa has been reached under a Russian mediation, a war monitor reported.

The deal, reached on Saturday, will see an end to the military showdown in Daraa, where the army and local armed men have been engaged in heavy battles over the past few days, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in a statement.

The UK-based watchdog group said 130 wanted armed men will depart to rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib under the deal, reports Xinhua news agency. Also, the Eighth Corps, which is backed by Russia, will enter areas in Idlib and assume military positions.

Meanwhile, civilians who fled their homes as a result of the violence, returned and exams were resumed. The observatory said the recent showdown killed 12 civilians, 11 armed men, and nine government forces. Tension in Daraa has been brewing for a month, resulting in a blockade imposed by the Syrian army.

On Sunday, a deal was supposed to end the tension but it failed as clashes flared up. The Syrian army entered Daraa in 2018 after the rebels there were dislodged to rebel-held areas in Idlib. However, the tension continued in Daraa and security incidents and attacks continued to take place every now and then. (IANS)

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