Preliminary Agreement Reached with Armed Groups’ Leaders in Wadi Barada Area: Governor

DAMASCUS COUNTRYSIDE, (ST)-Governor of Damascus Countryside Alaa Ibrahim has revealed that a preliminary agreement was reached with leaders of armed groups in Wadi Barada area in order to help some gunmen settle their legal status, allow others to leave the area towards Idleb countryside and pave the way for maintenance workshops to enter and fix the damage caused by terrorists to the Water Spring of Ein Fijeh in the area.

 The governor said that according to the agreement the gunmen are to hand over their heavy weapons and foreign gunmen will leave the Wadi Barada area then units of the Syrian Arab army will enter the place to clear it of mines and explosive devices as to pave the way for the entry of maintenance teams to Ein Fijeh Water Spring area in order to fix the damage caused by terrorist attacks to water pumps and pipelines.

He added that armed groups’ leaders are putting pressure on foreign gunmen to leave Wadi Barada area, pointing out that the possibility of implementing the agreement will be clear within the coming hours.

Several gunmen in a number of Wadi Barada villages have got their legal status settled after they raised the flag of the Syrian Arab Republic over these villages.

Legal Status of Hundreds of Persons Settled in Wadi Barada Area

Meanwhile, the legal status of hundreds of persons from the villages of Wadi Barada area has been settled within the framework of national reconciliations and in accordance with the Amnesty Decree No. 15 for 2016.

According to SANA, Ali Mohamed Yousef, the reconciliation official in Wadi Barada area, said that around 500 persons had their legal status settled on Wednesday, including 60 militants and a number of draft dodgers and wanted persons.

He added that the number is likely to increase as the locals want to end all presence of armed groups in their area, pointing out that the area will be clear from weapons and militants very soon and the state establishments will return to the area, in addition to the rehabilitation of the infrastructure and the entry of maintenance teams to fix the damage to al-Fijeh spring.

Hamda Mustafa