Damascus, Jaysh al-Islam Reach Agreement on Militants' Withdrawal - Reports

13:23 GMT, 8 April 2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Syrian government and the Jaysh al-Islam militants have reached an agreement on the release of all prisoners in exchange for providing a safe exit for militants to the city of Jarabulus, the Syrian state media reported Sunday.

Sputnik

The Syrian state TV reported citing an unnamed source that Jaysh al-Islam fighters will leave Douma for the northern city of Jarablus within 48 hours. A source in security sources also said that two groups of Jaysh al-Islam will leave Douma in the coming hours.

"An agreement on the liberation of all prisoners by the two groups has also been reached. The first group will leave in the next few hours," the source said.

The source added a convoy of buses has already entered Duma to take militants to the city of Jarabulus in northern Syria.

According to the SANA news agency, the relevant agreement was reached after hours-long negotiations.

Earlier in the day, SANA reported that militants requested the Syrian government to hold negotiations amid the deteriorated situation in the city of Douma in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta.

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Last week, the Russian military reached a preliminary agreement with the Jaysh al-Islam radical movement on ending hostilities, disarmament and withdrawal from Douma. The militants must show minefield and tunnel maps and voluntarily clear buildings and transport routes of mines before withdrawing.

On April 1, the Wafedeen humanitarian corridor was opened for militants and their families to leave Duma for the Idlib de-escalation zone. 3,480 militants and members of their families have left the city since then.