A military commander of the forces allied with the Syrian government stated that a convoy of buses carrying fighters from the Islamic State (ISIS) arrived in the area controlled by the group in eastern Syria on Wednesday, September 13. According to Reuters, a swap of a Hezbollah member who was held captive by ISIS also took place on the same day. At least 300 fighters affiliated with ISIS, along with their families, left the border areas of Syria and Lebanon under an agreement with the Syrian government and Hezbollah and moved towards areas controlled by the group in eastern Syria. Meanwhile, the US-led anti-ISIS coalition temporarily halted the movement of this convoy towards Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria. However, ultimately, the ISIS fighters and their forces were divided into two groups. Reuters reports that it is still unclear whether all the buses managed to reach the areas controlled by ISIS. The Lebanese Army and the Shiite group Hezbollah conducted operations against ISIS forces on both sides of the Syrian-Lebanese border on Saturday, August 19. Following the advance of Hezbollah and the Lebanese Army, a ceasefire was announced in the region with ISIS on September 27, and ISIS is expected to hand over the bodies of nine Lebanese soldiers in exchange for allowing its forces to leave the area. As part of this agreement, ISIS handed over the body of Mohsen Hajji, an Iranian fighter involved in the Syrian war, to Hezbollah. This agreement drew criticism from Iraq and the US-led anti-ISIS coalition. In response to this criticism, Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, stated that negotiating with ISIS militants is the 'only way' to resolve the 'humanitarian and national' issue of returning the bodies of the nine Lebanese soldiers who were captured by ISIS in 2014. In this context, Hezbollah declared 'victory' in Syria. Hezbollah stated that the exit of a group of ISIS from the Lebanese border was part of a ceasefire agreement, and the US-led coalition prevented the exit of ISIS forces from the Syrian-Lebanese border. Hezbollah and the Lebanese Army attacked ISIS positions from both sides.
ISIS Fighters Caravan Arrives in Area Controlled by the Group in Deir ez-Zor
A convoy of ISIS fighters and their families has reached areas controlled by the group in eastern Syria following an agreement with the Syrian government and Hezbollah. This event coincided with a prisoner swap involving a Hezbollah member and has drawn criticism from various parties, including the US-led coalition. The situation highlights ongoing tensions and the complexities of the conflict in the region.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
A convoy of ISIS fighters and their families reached areas controlled by ISIS in eastern Syria following an agreement with the Syrian government and Hezbollah. This movement was part of a ceasefire agreement that included a prisoner swap.
- The convoy included at least 300 ISIS fighters and their families.
- The US-led coalition temporarily halted the convoy's movement.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Syrian civil war has involved multiple factions, including ISIS, the Syrian government, and international coalitions, leading to a complex and prolonged conflict.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%