By Ali Makram Ghareeb
KIRKUK, Iraq (AA) – Soldiers of the erstwhile Bashar al-Assad regime who fled to Iraq will begin returning to Syria on Thursday, an official of the Iraqi Defense Ministry said.
The process of repatriating the soldiers will be initiated by relevant authorities in Iraq and carried out in coordination with the Syrian side, Iraq’s official news agency INA reported, citing Defense Ministry spokesman Miqdad Miri.
About 2,000 personnel fled to Iraq via the Al-Qa'im border crossing on Dec. 7 after the regime collapsed.
*Writing by Alperen Aktas in Istanbul