Syrian regime forces on Friday reached a vital border crossing with Jordan and raised the national flag for the first time in years, state media reported, reinstating sovereignty over a key region that potentially reopens the way for Syrian exports to Arab countries.
State news agency SANA said the capture of the Naseeb border crossing happened Friday afternoon after a deal was reached between rebels and Russian mediators to end the violence in southern Syria.
South Syrian rebels said they had agreed Friday to lay down arms in a Russian-brokered deal that appeared to surrender Daraa province to the government in another major victory for Bashar Assad.
The regime recovered the crucial Nassib border crossing with Jordan, held by rebels for three years, state media reported, after a fierce assault in insurgent territory along the frontier backed by Russian air strikes.
Deraa province encompasses most of the area held by rebels in the southwest, one of their last remaining strongholds in Syria. Assad is also aiming to recover control of rebel-held areas of Qunaitra province at the frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Regime advances in Daraa in a two-week offensive had brought large parts of the province back under state control and caused a massive rapid human exodus as hundreds of thousands of people fled.
Rebel sources said the deal brokered by Russia would allow civilians to return to their villages and towns with Russia guaranteeing their protection.
Russian guarantees will also be extended to rebel fighters who wish to "settle their status" with the government - a process by which former insurgents accept to live under state rule again, the sources said.
Rebels who did not wish to come back under Assad's rule would leave for the insurgent stronghold in northwest Syria, they said.
Jordan's foreign minister said the return of tens of thousands of displaced Syrians in southern Syria is the kingdom's top priority and had discussed "practical guarantees" with concerned parties. "Securing the return of our Syrian brothers to their homes and ensuring their security in their country leads our discussions with all the parties," Ayman Safadi said in a tweet.
Several witnesses along the Jordan border fence with Syria said they spotted armored vehicles and a tank with a Russian flag heading to the Nassib crossing, an important trade artery.
A commander in a regional military alliance that backs Assad said an Israeli air strike had hit a Syrian village in Qunaitra on Friday, causing no casualties. Israel's military said it had hit a regime army post in that area.
Reuters
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