More than 30,000 refugees return to their homes in Syria

More than 30,000 Syrians have returned to their homes from the Idlib de-escalation zone through the Abu al-Duhur city checkpoint that started operating in March 2018, representative for the Russian Reconciliation Center for the Conflicting Sides in Syria Major General Sergei Popov told journalists.

The city of Abu al-Duhur is located in the Idlib governorate, 45 km southeast of Aleppo. In February 2018, the community was released from the militants, and in March the Abu al-Duhur checkpoint opened - the only humanitarian corridor, through which refugees could return form the Idlib de-escalation zone to the territory controlled by the Syrian government.

"More than 30,000 civilians have left the [humanitarian] corridor since its launch. More than 1,500 people and more than 60 vehicles left it on November 26-28," Popov noted.

Popov stressed that three checkpoints are operating in Abu al-Duhur, along with a meal station where refugees can get products and warm clothes and a field medical station.

"A military police battalion is providing secure passage in cooperation with the intelligence bodies of the Syrian Arab Republic. An inspection checkpoint for vehicles and people to detect explosives, weapons and munitions was established in order to prevent terror attacks and provocations," Popov added.

The Committee for the National Reconciliation of the Idlib De-escalation Zone and representatives for the Russian Reconciliation Center for the Conflicting Sides in Syria are operating the withdrawal of civilians to the territory controlled by the Syrian government and the accommodation of refugees.