Syrian opposition, regime allies exchange hostages

By Levent Tok and Adham Kako

IDLIB, Syria

Civilians are now preparing to be evacuated from the Syrian districts of Madaya, Al-Zabadani, Al-Fuaa and Kefraya in line with a March 30 deal between the Assad regime and armed opposition groups.

Along with the evacuations, last month’s agreement calls for a nine-month cessation of hostilities and the delivery of humanitarian aid into conflict zones.

Madaya and Al-Zadabani, both of which are located some 40 kilometers northwest of Damascus, are currently encircled by regime forces, while Al-Fuaa and Kefraya -- both in Syria’s Idlib province -- remain encircled by opposition forces.

In line with the agreement, a hostage exchange was conducted on Wednesday between pro-regime foreign terrorist groups and Ahrar al-Sham, a leading armed opposition group.

The swap took place early Wednesday morning, when 19 male hostages -- and one dead body -- were handed over to opposition forces. Simultaneously, 13 pro-regime foreign terrorists were handed over to authorities in Aleppo.

Abuses

Three of the hostages handed over to the opposition, who spoke anonymously due to security fears, told Anadolu Agency about the ill treatment they experienced while in captivity.

"Planes brought food and aid supplies to Al-Fuaa, but we received nothing. We had to subsist on only two slices of bread every five days," one of the freed hostages said.

"While being held by the pro-regime terrorists, I contracted a serious illness that damaged my lungs," he added.

He went on to recount how one of his friends had his leg amputated, which later led to his death. “I had to bury him with my bare hands,” he recalled.

Another one of the recently released hostages told Anadolu Agency how he had originally been captured.

"I went to Al-Fuaa and Kefraya by mistake after losing my way. After being captured, I was subjected to inhumane treatment, rarely receiving food,” he said.

“Many of us were held together in a small cell," he added. "May Allah bless our Mujahid brothers; I pray Allah will give them victory."

He went on: "I was held hostage for 13 months and got sick many times. I was left to starve, but -- thank Allah -- I am okay now.”

Yet another of those released in Wednesday’s exchange recounted how he had been hospitalized for more than 10 months of his captivity.

"I was subjected to all kinds of abuse; 20 people had to live on four cups of rice per day," he said. “None of them cared that we were slowly starving to death.”

"We were constantly humiliated,” he went on to assert. “But now I feel as if I have been reborn. I owe this to my friends and my mujahid brothers."

*Ali Murat Alhas contributed to this report from Ankara