Syrian regime reaches agreement with Daraa faction, ending one-month siege

Syrian regime forces reopened a checkpoint Monday in the southern city of Daraa which was under siege for a month, according to local media.

The Ahrar Horan Group said regime forces reopened Al-Saraya checkpoint which had previously cut off the Daraa Al-Balad neighbourhood from the city centre. The group said the reopening of the checkpoint complies with a deal reached by the city's committee of elders and the Syrian regime over the weekend.

The deal, as reported by local news, stipulates that all light weaponry are handed over to regime forces, as well as the disarmament of pro-regime militias in the area.

Under a reconciliation agreement when the opposition area came back under regime control, locals were able to keep their light weapons. 

Regime forces can keep three security checkpoints within Daraa Al-Balad, according to the agreement, but have to reopen all roads in the city.

All regime reinforcements will also have to pull out and return to their barracks.

The sources added that the security status of 135 people in the area wanted by the regime will be settled in the coming days.

The Syrian regime had previously threatened to storm Daraa unless residents hand over all weapons and allow troops to search homes.

One human rights group warned of "serious humanitarian repercussions" affecting up to 40,000 people if the Syrian regime continued its siege on Daraa.

The Daraa province - a former stronghold of the Syrian opposition - has been the site of ambushes on regime forces.

It was one of the first regions in war-torn Syria to witness anti-government protests in 2011, which were brutally suppressed.