Iraq Returns Syrian Army Regim Assad To His Country

JAKARTA - Iraq on Thursday began repatriating the Syrian army from the forces of former ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad back to the country.

The operation was carried out after coordinating with Syrian authorities, Iraqi authorities said.

About 2,000 Syrian troops took refuge across the Iraqi border during the insurgent force's attack that toppled Assad earlier this month.

Troops crossed the border into Iraq via the border town of Al-Qaim, the local mayor said on December 7.

Syrian rebels led by Ahmed al-Sharaa alias Abu Mohammad al-Golani, who led former al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized the capital Damascus without a fight on December 8 after a quick attack that saw Assad 'run away' to Russia.