HASAKAH, Gozarto (Jazira) — In recent days, nearly 400 prisoners and detainees have been released under an agreement signed in late January between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government, as public calls continue for the release of those still in detention.
Buses carrying those released arrived in the city of Hasakah, where hundreds of families gathered at al-Sabbagh roundabout to receive their relatives. Local sources stated that the detainees had been held by the Syrian government before being included in this phase of the agreement.
The release coincided with the handover of 90 detainees by the SDF to the Syrian government, as part of the continued implementation of the agreement signed on 29 January. This exchange marks the third group in a series of agreed exchanges between the two sides.
A number of local officials attended the reception, including the Governor of Hasakah, Nour al-Din Ahmad, and representatives of the Democratic Autonomous Administration, who confirmed that this step comes as part of efforts to ease the suffering of families and reunite them after long periods of detention.
Despite these developments, a state of anticipation still prevails in the cities of the Gozarto (Jazira) region, where families of other detainees continue to stage sit-ins demanding the release of their relatives. Protesters emphasize that their continued detention is an injustice that requires urgent resolution, calling for the swift completion of the remaining phases of the agreement.
While the exchange operations are seen as an indicator of the possibility of broader understandings, observers believe that the continuation of such steps will depend on the commitment of both parties to the terms of the agreement, amid the complex political and security landscape in the country.