The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Syrian regime and Turkish-backed “National Army” swap prisoners in rural Aleppo

Syrian Observatory sources have confirmed that regime forces and opposition factions swapped prisoners at Abu Al-Zanadayn crossing, near Al-Bab city in the north-eastern countryside of Aleppo.

Turkish-backed factions of the “National Army” have released a regime captain who was captured by jihadi groups in earlier battles in Al-Jerah military airbase in rural Aleppo. The regime captain was released in return for the release of a young man from Saraqeb city, who was arrested 18 months ago after crossing into regime-held areas by mistake.

On February 27, Syrian Observatory activists said that many people who had been detained or captured by rebel groups and by the Syrian regime were freed, in a new reciprocal and simultaneous move in Aleppo countryside. The Syrian regime has received two soldiers captured by the factions in the recent battles, as well as the body of another soldier killed in the same battles, in return for delivering a civilian female and a little girl who were arrested earlier by regime security services.

The operation was carried out via Abu Al-Zanadayn crossing between the factions-held areas and regime-controlled ones, north-east of Aleppo near Al-Bab city.

On February 21, reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that the regime forces received the body of an Iranian-backed fighter, near Anjara town in the western countryside of Aleppo, in return for releasing two alive fighters of opposition factions captured in the past few days during a recent battle between both parties. No confirmed information has been reported so far about the opposition fighters’ identity whether being of HTS or of Al-Sham Corps which is close to Turkey.