HAMA-ALEPPO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th March, 2020) ALEPPO, March 8 (Sputnik) - Syria's key M5 highway was reopened for civilian use on Sunday after fighting in Idlib clotted this important economic artery linking the capital in the south with Aleppo in the north.
The passageway is controlled by the Syrian government forces manning numerous checkpoints between Aleppo and the central-western city of Hama, a Sputnik correspondent said.
Many of those traveling along the route now take a turn to Saraqib near the Turkish border after Syrian government forces recaptured it from militants. Small business has been returning to the former flashpoint town.
Government troops restored control over the highway in February after almost eight years of fighting. It was briefly shut down again after clashes resumed in Idlib last month. Russia and Turkey agreed a ceasefire for the northwestern region starting at midnight on Friday.
