Syrian soldiers celebrate victory in the town of Daraya near Damascus, capital of Syria, on Aug. 26, 2016. In the case of the town of Daraya near Damascus, the Syrian army withdrew from the town in 2012, as the rebels there have taken control of that sprawling key area on the western rim of Damascus. Later on, the Syrian forces placed the town under a tight siege, with battles and skirmishes taking place each once in a while. State news agency SANA said both sides concluded a deal on Thursday, under which the Syrian army and government will re-assume control of Daraya, in exchange of the rebels' extraction. (Xinhua/Yang Zhen)
Related:
DAMASCUS, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Holding their rifles high and shouting in excitement, Syrian soldiers felt the exhilaration of victory as the rebels were bused out of a key battleground near the capital Damascus on Friday.
"By the hands of the Syrian Arab Army, and thanks to the wisdom of the Syrian leadership and the battles fought by the Syrian soldiers over the past five years, Daraya has been liberated today," a senior military officer announced the "victory" in the sprawling town of Daraya west of Damascus with a poetic tone, as if the news was long awaited, and the victory news needs to be historic. Full story
