Syrian Army, Rebels Agree to Truce in Contested Town

Tanks Withdraw From Area as Defectors Promise to Leave Streets

A ceasefire has been reached in the town of Zabadani, near the Syrian border with Lebanon, reports Deutsche Presse-Agentur. According to “opposition activists,” Syrian tanks are withdrawing from the area under the terms of the deal.

Zabadani has been under a de facto siege since last week, when the Syrian military discovered a large number of defectors belonging to armed rebel group “Free Syrian Army” (FSA) had taken up residence in the city. The FSA fighters have been clashing with troops on the outskirts, and tanks took up positions around the outskirts.

The terms of the deal would have the FSA agreeing to stop patrolling the streets and would have Syria withdrawing its military from the outskirts of the town.

Opposition figures are already trumpeting the move as a victory, saying they forced Syria into the deal through sheer force of arms. They also claimed the civilian population was in favor of the FSA’s occupation of the town.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.