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Conflict in Syria

Around 1,500 people return to their homes in liberated suburb of Damascus

Engineer Naem al-Aysad said it will take three to five years to restore the town completely since it was seriously damaged when occupied by militants

© Andrei Gryaznov/TASS

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LATAKIA, December 20. /TASS/. Around 1,500 people have already returned to their homes in the liberated suburb of Damascus in Yarmouk, engineer tasked with restoring the town Naem al-Aysad told reporters on Thursday.

At the start of November, the Syrian authorities allowed residents to return to Yarmouk, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told the media.

"Three hundred families, or around 1,500 people, have already returned to the town. We have not yet started restoring houses, but we provide people with water, electricity and food. We allocate some money and food to those who already returned to Yarmouk," al-Aysad said noting that the authorities will start restoration works after barricades are dismantled and debris are cleared.

Al-Aysad said that a lot of people want to return to their homes but before they are allowed to move in, engineers have to inspect a building to make sure it is safe.

He added that it will take three to five years to restore the town completely since it was seriously damaged when occupied by militants.

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