DAMASCUS: Syrian government
Workers entered a formerly rebel-held
area near
Damascus on Friday to begin restoring
water to the capital after weeks of shortages, state media reported.
A local gover**r said a deal had been reached for the army to take control of the
area **rthwest of the capital and work was underway to
restore the
water supply as soon as possible.
Mains
water from the Ain al-Fijeh spring in the Wadi Barada region has been cut since December 22, after fighting damaged key pumping infrastructure, leaving 5.5 million people facing shortages.
“We have halted military operations in Ain al-Fijeh and started reconciliation with the militas there,” said provincial gover**r Alaa Ibrahim, speaking to reporters from an
area near the spring.
“God willing, the pipe will be fixed within three days... rapid measures will be taken to get
water to
Damascus tomorrow,” he added.
Ibrahim said that any
rebel fighter in Wadi Barada willing to give up his ****** would do so, adding that those who refuse or belonging to former al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham would be offered passage to opposition-held Idlib province on buses arriving later Friday. “All of Wadi Barada will be secured within hours,” he added.
“Water will **t be cut off to the city of
Damascus again.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, confirmed that repair crews had reached the Ain al-Fijeh spring and that the Syrian flag had been raised in the area.
The government has struck a ****** of deals with formerly opposition-held areas, often requiring rebels to hand over their ******* in return for a halt to fighting.
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