Syrian Rebel City of Nawa Surrenders After Intense Airstrikes

Rebels will surrender heavy weaponry

Jason Ditz Posted onJuly 18, 2018CategoriesNewsTagsSyria

Rebels in the south Syrian city of Nawa, the last major rebel-held city in the country’s south, agreed to surrender Wednesday after a flurry of intense airstrikes and an advance of Syrian forces into the area.

The Nawa rebels are agreeing to join the existing reconciliation deal, wherein they will surrender all heavy weapons and reconcile with the government. In return, the Syrian Army won’t enter the city itself, except for if they are transferring through it to get to ISIS-contested territory nearby.'

This was a substantial city for the rebels, with an estimated 100,000 people living in it, far more than resided there at the start of the war. This was a popular site to flee to during fighting in nearby areas.

The Syrian government has been trying to wrap up fighting in Deraa Province for weeks, the last of rebel-held territory in the southern part of the country. Most remaining rebel territory is in the far north, along the Turkish border.

https://news.antiwar.com/2018/07/18/syrian-rebel-city-of-nawa-surrenders-after-intense-airstrikes/