Homs City ‘Safe’ after Departure of Final Batch of Gunmen from al-Waer Neighborhood

Homs Governor has underscored that Homs city has become safe after the final batch of gunmen and some of their families’ members, who rejected reconciliation, left al-Waer neighborhood in accordance with reconciliation deal reached last March. 

Speaking to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Talal al-Barazi said that al-Waer neighborhood   is now clear of weapons and gunmen after completing the departure of the final batch of gunmen and some of their families’ members from there.

 “Internal security forces will enter today to state institutions, including Justice palace and police station, in order to protect public and private properties,” the governor said, indicating that thousands of the persons, who were displaced from al-Waer neighborhood three years ago, will enter today to the neighborhood and they will be provided with all facilities.

Earlier today,  SANA reported that 1452 persons, including 459 gunmen, left -aboard 36 buses- al-Waer neighborhood towards Jarablus city in the northern countryside of Aleppo and towards Idlib city.

On Friday, 347 persons, including 158 gunmen left the neighborhood towards al-Dar al-Kabira area in the northern countryside of Homs.

Since the start of implementation of the reconciliation deal in the said neighborhood, situations of hundreds of gunmen have been regularized in accordance with amnesty decree and dozens of gunmen’s families, who left al-Waer to Jarablus city in Aleppo countryside and to Idlib, returned to Homs where they were welcomed by the governorate.

Actually, Syrian Arab army’s victories and Homs residents ‘s efforts to reach reconciliation are behind the restoration of peace to Homs city, which will soon start reconstruction process.

Basma Qaddour