The Ankara-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and Damascus exchanged a number of prisoners on Monday under the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross and guarantees from Turkey and Russia.
Activists in the city of Al-Bab, which is nestled 40 km northeast of Aleppo, confirmed that the SNA conducted a new prisoner exchange operation with the Syrian regime forces at the Abu Al-Zandin crossing.
Abu Al-Zandin separates the spheres of influence of the Turkey-backed opposition and the Russia-backed regime forces.
Five detainees were released from each side, according to local sources.
The swap took place after negotiations between the two parties that lasted for more than three months, an opposition source told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The last exchange took place on December 12, 2021, during which five prisoners were released from each side at the same crossing.
In other news, new military reinforcements have been deployed to contact lines in northern Aleppo.
Backup arrived for both the SNA, Iranian militias, and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Reinforcements are being sent in anticipation of a new Turkish military operation against the SDF.
Iran sent reinforcements to two Shiite settlements northwest of Aleppo.
Observers believe that the reinforcements Iran is pushing to the contact lines with the opposition factions and the Turkish forces north of Aleppo are a clear and direct intervention.
