Syrian detainees released in swap deal

The swap deal took place under the auspices of the UN and the Syrian Red Crescent at the Abu al-Zindeen crossing near al-Bab city east in Aleppo countryside.

Opposition fighters released nine Assad militiamen in exchange for nine Syrian detainees who were detained by Assad militia.

The exchange is the third to date as part of a pilot project prepared by a working group formed under the Astana process by Turkey, Russia, Iranian regime and the United Nations to investigate the fate of missing people and release those who have been detained, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

Hundreds of thousands of people are still languishing inside Assad regime prisons and detention centers.