Syrian opposition, Russia hammer out deal over Quneitra

By Mohamed Misto and Ammar al-Ali

QUNEITRA, Syria (AA) - A ceasefire deal has been reached between Russia and the Syrian opposition that will see the latter withdraw from Syria’s southwestern Quneitra province.

According to an Anadolu Agency correspondent in Quneitra, the deal calls for Assad regime forces to be deployed in opposition-held areas.

The Syrian regime will eventually return to positions it withdrew from in 2011, including areas near the 1974 ceasefire line separating Syria from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Under the agreement, Russian military police will be temporarily stationed along the ceasefire line until UN forces can be deployed in the area.

The agreement goes on to state that the opposition will lay down its heavy arms, while opposition fighters and civilians would be given safe exit to Idlib.

A similar deal was reached recently in Daraa, under which regime forces and Russian military police were deployed throughout the province and along the border with Jordan.

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity.