Over 21,000 Syrians Return Home Via Deir Ez-Zor Checkpoint Since August - Russian Military

Over 21,000 Syrian refugees have returned to their homes via the Salhiyah checkpoint in the Deir ez-Zor province since its opening in late August, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria said on Monday.

DEIR EZ-ZOR (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th November, 2018) Over 21,000 Syrian refugees have returned to their homes via the Salhiyah checkpoint in the Deir ez-Zor province since its opening in late August, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria said on Monday.

"The checkpoint is working on a daily basis ... Since its opening, 21,357 people have returned to their pre-war places of residence," Vladislav Nikonov told journalists.

According to the Russian military, around 1,500 people, including about 300 refugees returning to their homes pass through the checkpoint every day.

"Here, we also have a health facility where citizens can receive medical assistance if necessary. Moreover, food sets are being handed out at the checkpoint," the spokesman said.

The settlement of Salhiyah, which lies some 52 miles to the southeast of Deir ez-Zor along the Euphrates River, was liberated by the government forces backed by the Russian aircraft in December 2017. The eponymous checkpoint was opened on August 25, 2018, enabling internally displaced Syrians to get back to their homes from the territories to the east of the Euphrates, which are controlled by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).