People start returning home in Syria's Daraa after rebels' evacuation

People return to their homes in Syria's southern province of Daraa, on Sept. 9, 2021. Thousands of people started returning to their homes in Daraa on Thursday following the army's entry to the formerly rebel-held areas, state news agency SANA reported. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)

DAMASCUS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people started returning to their homes in Syria's southern province of Daraa on Thursday following the army's entry to the formerly rebel-held areas, state news agency SANA reported.

The army entered the al-Balad area in Daraa and hoisted the Syrian flag following the rebels, who rejected to reconcile with the army, evacuated to the rebel-held areas in northern Syria, it said.

The authorities in Daraa removed roadblocks and opened the roads for the return of the people to their homes as the bomb squads combed areas previously taken by the rebels, it added.

The entry of the army to the al-Balad area is part of a Russian-mediated agreement to end months-long tension in Daraa.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recently placed the number of internally displaced people in Daraa province as a result of the recent tension at 38,600, including almost 15,000 women and over 20,400 children.

The Syrian army entered Daraa in 2018 after the rebels there were dislodged to the rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib. However, the tension has continued in Daraa with attacks taking place occasionally.