Destruction in the district of Daraa al-Balad of Syria's southern city of Daraa.

Video. Syria regime and Russian flags fly in destroyed Daraa after truce deal

The old part of the southern Syrian city of Daraa, occupied by rebel forces until just days ago, appeared slowly to be returning to normal.

The old part of the southern Syrian city of Daraa, occupied by rebel forces until just days ago, appeared slowly to be returning to normal.

A few people began returning to their homes or reopening their businesses.

Syria's Information Ministry took a group of journalists to Daraa four days after government troops entered the area known as Daraa al-Balad, a bastion of the Syrian armed opposition since 2013.

At the entrance, Syrian troops took position on the first floor of a heavily damaged building overlooking a main street.

Russian and Syrian flags flew outside as Russian Military Police vehicles were seen driving by.

A Russian-negotiated deal went into effect last week to end a government siege and intense fighting in the city of Daraa where rebel fighters had holed up in Daraa al-Balad.

A ceasefire was repeatedly broken until the deal came into effect, when scores of scores of fighters were taken in buses to rebel-held areas north of the country and hundreds of others handed over their weapons in return for amnesty.

Russia negotiated a ceasefire earlier this month in a bid to end the violence that erupted this summer between government forces and opposition fighters and which threatened to undo years of relative calm along the borders with Israel and Jordan.

Daraa province, which straddles the borders with Jordan and Israel, became known as the cradle of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad that erupted in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring revolts and eventually led to war.

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