"The success achieved with the support of the Syrian government in the province of Deir ez-Zor has allowed citizens to return to their homes. As a result, the population has increased from 200,000 to 1.18 million people," al-Kawakibi said at a meeting of the joint Russia-Syria coordination center on refugee repatriation.
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To promote the return of refugees, the authorities of the province are expanding services and opening new areas of accommodation, especially in rural parts of the province, he added.
"The restoration of social facilities and infrastructure focuses on the restoration of schools. As of today, the number of fully functioning schools has increased from 36 to 265, and the number of students has reached 93,400. The process of reconstruction continues," al-Kawakibi said.
Moscow is assisting Damascus in this process, along with providing humanitarian aid to civilians and being a guarantor of the ceasefire.