Thousands return home following ceasefire in Syria
Damascus, July 7: Thousands of displaced people have returned to Syria after negotiations brought about a pause in hostilities following a week-long government offensive aimed at regaining the territory from armed opposition, a UK-based watchdog said on Saturday.
Russian mediators acting on behalf of the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad negotiated a ceasefire with the armed militias in Daraa province, where the UN estimated that some 300,000 people were forced to leave their homes due to intense fighting involving heavy airstrike and artillery campaigns, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
However, the war monitor added that thousands of others whose towns and villages were captured by pro-government troops were reluctant to return for fear of reprisals, reports Efe news.
The SOHR said smoke columns could be seen rising from burning properties the town of Saida, located to the east of Daraa city and was re-captured by government forces this week.
For its part, the Free Syrian Army opposition central command in the region released a statement saying the protection of civilian life was imperative.
Around 159 civilians have been killed by clashes in Daraa since the start of the government offensive, the SOHR said.
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BJP names 9 candidates for RS polls, party chief Nitin Nabin to contest from Bihar
New Delhi (PTI): BJP national president Nitin Nabin was on Tuesday nominated as the party's candidate from Bihar for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released a list of nine candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls, fielding its former West Bengal unit chief Rahul Sinha and Chhattisgarh unit vice-president Laxmi Verma from the respective states.
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Assam PWD Minister Jogen Mohan and MLA Terash Gowalla will be the saffron party's candidates for the elections to the Upper House of Parliament from the state.
The BJP has also nominated its Odisha unit president, Manmoham Samal, and leader Sujit Kumar, an incumbent Rajya Sabha MP, as candidates from the state for the upcoming polls.
BJP leader Shivesh Kumar will join the fray from Bihar and Sanjay Bhatia, a former Lok Sabha MP of the party, will be its candidate from Haryana. Kumar is Bihar BJP's general secretary.
The names of the candidates have been approved by the party's central election committee, BJP national general secretary Arun Singh said.
