Syrian Gov’t Grants Amnesty to Hundreds of Dissidents, Ex-Militants in Damascus

The government officials issued amnesty verdicts for 500 dissidents, among them 60 armed militants, in Wadi al-Bardi region of Western Ghouta of Damascus.

Ali Mohamed Yousef, the reconciliation official in Wadi Barada area, said that around 500 people, including 60 militants and a number of draft dodgers and wanted persons, were granted amnesty on Wednesday.

He added that the area will be cleared from weapons and militants very soon and the state establishments will return to the area, in addition to the rehabilitation of infrastructure and the entry of maintenance teams to fix the damage to al-Fijeh reservoir.

Experts believe that given the tendency of dissidents and armed militants in the region to surrender to the army, the number of those who receive amnesty from the government will increase.

Damascus Governor General said on Wednesday that government and militants in Wadi al-Bardi region reached an agreement that will pave the ground for fixing facilities to restart flow of drinking water to Damascus city.

Ala’ Monir Ibrahim said that based on an agreement signed by the government officials and militants, repairmen will be allowed to enter the water facilities in Ein al-Fijeh region to fix the damaged installations to resume flow of drinking water to Damascus city.

Ibrahim further added that based on this agreement, amnesty requests by Wadi al-Bardi’s militants will go under study in return, while foreign militants should leave the region.

A field source disclosed earlier today that militants in seven villages in Wadi al-Bardi region in Western Ghouta have agreed to lay down arms and join the nationwide reconciliation plan.

The source said that militants in the villages of Souq Wadi al-Bardi, al-Barhaliyeh, Kafr al-Awamid, al-Hosseiniyeh, Kafr al-Zeit and Deir Moqren have admitted to join the peace process with the Syrian Army.

The source further added that if the army deploys its forces in the two villages of Kafr al-Zeit and Deir Moqren, the noose will be tightened on the militants of Fatah al-Sham Front (previously known as the al-Nusra Front) that have opposed reconciliation.

The source underlined continued military operations against the terrorists simultaneous with intense attempts for finalizing national reconciliation in Wadi al-Bardi, adding, “Residents of villages in Wadi al-Bardi region have put terrorists under pressure to accept peace to end hostilities in Wadi al-Bardi and reopen flow of drinking water to Damascus.”