HASAKAH, Syria, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army on Wednesday assumed control over the highway linking the provinces of Hasakah and Aleppo, state news agency SANA reported.
A Syrian military officer told Xinhua that the road has been opened for traffic after the full deployment of the Syrian army units, stressing that the it is completely safe for traveling.
"We are now calling on people to use this road," the officer told Xinhua on the condition of anonymity.
Another officer said, "We are calling on the families to use this road because it is in a completely safe condition thanks to the efforts of the Syrian army, " the officer said, asking not to be named.
Muhammad Naser, a citizen traveling on the road for the first time, told Xinhua that he was happy to travel to Aleppo through this road.
He looks forward to the opening of more roads in the country.
Activists said the Syrian army's deployment comes as part of recent Russian-Turkish agreements.
According to the agreement, the Turkey-backed rebel groups should withdraw 3 km from the road toward the north, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces withdraw 4 km south of the road.
The agreements and military situation in northeastern Syria have become under the spotlight since Turkey launched an assault against the Kurdish forces in October.
Russia stepped in and mediated agreements to end the battles and have the Syrian government forces deploy between the Kurdish forces and the Turkey-backed rebels.
The Syrian army benefited from the Russian-Turkish agreements as it has assumed control over several key Kurdish-held areas along the border with Turkey.
