Humanitarian agencies at the Jordanian border confirmed that tens of thousands of civilians were returning home. The Syrian army offensive on Daraa province had left 320,000 people displaced.
Image: AFP/Getty Images
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Syrians from the southern Daraa province have begun their journey home, as a result of a deal between Russia and Syrian rebels that sought an end to more than two weeks of deadly bombardments in the area.
More than 60,000 people have departed the Jordanian border and heading back to their homes in the east or west of Daraa province, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The UN humanitarian coordinator in Jordan, Anders Pederson, confirmed on Sunday that most of the displaced along the Jordanian border had headed back inside Syria.
But International relief agency CARE told The Associated Press that many Syrians were still refusing to return home out of fear of being detained or conscripted into the army.
Jordan's border remains closed to Syrian refugees. The country says it has already taken in about 1.3 million Syrians. About half that number are registered with the UN.
Syria: Assad takes border crossing as rebels agree to deal
Syrian troops have recaptured a vital border crossing with Jordan after launching a devastating offensive in the south. Rebels in the area have "struck a deal" with Russia to lay down their arms. The story in pictures.
Image: Getty Images/Y.Karawashan
Sustained bombardment
Syrian regime troops, backed by allies Russia and Iran, stepped up attacks on Daraa province in the country's south this week after the rebels rejected the terms of an earlier ceasefire offer.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Nabaa Media
Campaign in Daraa
In the wake of a massive Russian-backed air and ground offensive, which has been ongoing since mid-June, government soldiers have been able to recapture large parts of Daara. The violence has driven hundreds of thousands of civilians from their homes.
Image: picture-alliance/AP
The human cost
The offensive prompted more than 330,000 residents to flee towards the sealed borders of Israel and Jordan. Many were forced to camp in open spaces or makeshift shelters.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Nabaa Media
'Wave of displacement'
According to the United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, it was the "largest wave of displacement to hit southern Syria since the start of the seven-year-long war." The agency said more than 60 children had been killed in the past three weeks in southern Syria alone.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/A. A. Ali
Crucial crossing
Regime troops reached the main border crossing with Jordan on Friday and raised the Syrian flag, state media said. Naseeb border came under rebel control in 2015, disrupting a major trade route between Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and oil-rich gulf countries. Its recapture potentially means Syria can resume exports to Arab nations; in that sense it marks a significant victory for President Bashar Assad.
Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot/M.A. Ghosh
Ceasefire deal
State news agency SANA said the capture of the crossing happened after a deal was reached between rebels and Russian mediators to end fighting in southern Syria. Ibrahim Jabawi, spokesman for the rebels' joint operations room, said the insurgents agreed to handover their weapons in return for a government pullout from several villages. It's not clear when the reported deal goes into effect.
Image: Getty Images/Y.Karawashan
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Deals with rebels
Under Daraa's ceasefire deal, Syrian government forces were to deploy along the Jordanian border, while rebels were to hand over their heavy weapons and given the option of being bused out to rebel-held areas in northern Syria.
The deal between rebels and Russia in Daraa is the latest in a string of such agreements that have allowed Damascus to regain control of rebel-held areas.
The ceasefires often follow blistering military offensives or crippling sieges, which are the mechanism to force the rebels into so-called "reconciliation" deals.
Syria's war has killed 350,000 people and displaced millions of others since it began with the brutal repression of anti-Assad protests in 2011.
