Over 1,500 Refugees Returned To Their Homes In Deir Ezzor With Help Of Russian Military

On December 16-17, over 1,500 refugees returned to their homes in the Syrian governotare of Deir Ezzor. This became possible thanks to the help of the Russian military from the Center for Reconciliation of the Conflicting Parties in Syria in cooperation with the Committee for Governance of the Eastern Territories of the Deir Ezzor Governorate.

“On December 16-17, more than 1,500 people, mostly women and children, returned to the communities of al-Salihiyah, al-Hussainiyah, Hatlah and Marrat located to the south and east of Deir ez-Zor [Deir Ezzor],” chief of the Center’s headquarters Col. Vladimir Vasilevsky told reporters, according to the Russian state-run news agency TASS.

The refugees received food packages and drinking water. Some of them also received necessary medical treatment.

The Committee for Governance of the Eastern Territories of the Deir Ezzor Governorate started operating in the town of al-Salihiyah in December. The committee consists of representatives of all ethnic and confessional groups living in the area. It operates with the help of the Russian Reconciliation Center.

Recently, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies have repelled a large ISIS attack on the western bank of the Euphrates. However, a notable number of ISIS members still remains in the Homs desert. This group of militants poses a notable threat to the civilians returning to the recently liberated areas. Thus, the anti-terrorist operation in the area should be one of the main priorities of the SAA in the near future.