Major highway in Syria partially reopens for traffic

Damascus, May 26 (IANS) The strategic M4 highway in north-west Syria has been reopened partially for traffic after a seven-month closure, state media reported.

With the Syrian Army deployed along the road, the M4 has been secured from the Iraqi border all the way through the northeastern province of Hasakah to Aleppo for the traffic movement, Xinhua news agency quoted the state media as saying in a report on Monday.

The Kurdish ANHA news agency said the highway was reopened after the mediation of Russia, which brokered a deal between the Syrian government forces, the Kurdish militia of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the Turkish forces.

The Turkish forces and Turkey-backed rebel fighters captured parts of the M4 after invading areas in northeastern Syria last October.

Earlier on Monday, the first traffic movement was registered on the road between the towns of Eid Issa and Tal Tamr, both controlled by the Syrian forces and SDF in northeastern Syria while the road between them was under the control of the Turkish forces.

Another part of M4, which runs between Aleppo and Latakia province through the northwestern province of Idlib, is yet to be secured for traffic movement as rebels fighters refuse to withdraw from the road in Idlib.

–IANS

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