BEIRUT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th March, 2021) Militants have laid down weapons in the southern Syrian city of Daraa, the birthplace of the 2011 war, under the mediation of the Russian military, a military-diplomatic source told Sputnik.
"Representatives of the Russian command in the city of Damascus, in cooperation with the security service of Daraa province, continue efforts to convince former militants in Daraa al-Balad [old part of the city of Daraa] and Tafas to hand over their weapons. On March 3, the city of Daraa hosted the surrender of weapons by former militants from Daraa al-Balad and Tafas," the source said.
According to the source, about 300 firearms, including those foreign- and home-made, as well as machine guns, grenade launchers, hand grenades and ammunition, were handed over to the Syrian army.
It came after the Russian military reported in February the first surrender of weapons by militants in the southern town of Tafas as part of the reconciliation process.
Daraa al-Balad is considered to the birthplace of the Syrian war. It is where militants first deployed weapons. In 2018, the Syrian authorities and illegal armed groups located in Daraa al-Balad agreed to a Russian-mediated truce.
The next step is talks on the status of former militants. Damascus promises to refrain from persecuting former members of armed groups who have decided to lay down arms voluntarily, as well as to consider the release of some prisoners.
