First phase of prisoner exchange between Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah Councils and Transitional Government completed in Holeb following local peace agreement

HOLEB, Syria — Just days after the signing of a local agreement between the General Council of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah neighborhoods in Holeb (Aleppo) and a delegation from the Syrian Transitional Government (STG), the first article of the agreement — regarding the exchange of detainees — has been successfully implemented.

According to the agreement, 146 detainees and 97 STG members were released. Local media reported that the exchange took place near the Al-Sheihan roundabout, which borders the Ashrafiyah district and other neighborhoods in Holeb.

The handover drew a large crowd of local residents, who chanted slogans promoting Syrian unity and calling for an end to foreign interference in the country’s affairs.

Officials from the General Council stated that this was the first batch of releases, with a second round expected in the coming days.

The agreement, signed on 1 April, outlines 14 key points, including the promotion of coexistence, the protection of residents, a ban on armed displays, regulation of internal security, and the formation of committees to implement the terms. It also addresses the facilitation of movement and transportation between the neighborhoods.