FIRST PHASE OF ARSAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN HEZBOLLAH AND HTS

On Sunday, the Hezbollah media wing in Syria announced a start of the first phase of Arsal agreement between Hezbollah and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under the auspices of the Lebanese General Security Forces.

The stage includes the exchange of prisoners and the exchange of bodies of dead fighters who had been killed in the previous battles in Jorud Arsal. Hezbollah was set to receive 5 bodies of its fighters from HTS, and to handover to HTS 9 bodies of its fighters.

The exchange started in Labwa area near the Syrian-Lebanese border. The Islamic Health Authority was set to transport the bodies of HTS fighters, while the Lebanese Red Cross was set to transport the bodies of Hezbollah fighters. However, the exchange was delayed due to some logistical problems.

The Hezbollah meda wing in Syria revealed that the Lebanese General Security Forces will release Mayada Alloush and her son as part of the exchange deal. Mayada Alloush had been arrested by Lebanese security forces after smuggling money to HTS fighters in Jorud Arsal. The two parties are currently conducting DNA tests to verify the bodies.

According to Lebanese sources, the evacuation of HTS fighters and their families from Jorud Arsal in Lebanon to Idlib Province in Syria will begin after the end of the exchange of prisoners and bodies.

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