Palmyra locals start returning home, services are being restored gradually

Homs, SANA – Tens of families have started to return to their houses in Palmyra city, expressing confidence that the Syrian army will absolutely triumph over terrorism.

A number of women spoke to SANA reporter on Thursday about the suffering they had been subjected to at the hands of ISIS terrorists since the latter took over the city last May and how they were prevented from leaving the city to save their lives and those of their children, expressing thanks to all who contributed to liberating the city from ISIS.

“Being back at the house feels like coming back to homeland,” said Amal al-Adas with tears feeling in her eyes. “Victory over ISIS is victory over disbelief and criminality,” she added.

Hazar Trad saw that the locals’ return to their homes after ISIS terrorists wreaked havoc in Palmyra is a message to the world that “the Syrians have been and will always remain one united family in the face of all those who want to dismember it.”

Homs Governor Tala al-Barazi said as the displace people of Palmyra are returning back, the army’s engineering units together with the Russian forces continue operations of demining the area in the vicinity of the city where hundreds of bombs and explosive devices were planted by ISIS terrorists.

He pointed out that the maintenance teams are already involved in repair works to fix damaged electricity, communications and water infrastructure and have come a long way.

The maintenance works are in full swing and will take a few weeks to be completed, al-Barazi said, adding that the return of the displaced people will continue daily as they are being transported on board vehicles from outside the Governorate’s building.

Concerning the upcoming parliamentarian elections, the Governor said four polling centers are being set up in Palmyra city to allow the locals to vote and spare them the difficulties of having to go to other areas, in addition to two other centers in al-Qaryatain city, which came under the army’s control only recently.

In statements to a number of foreign media reporters, al-Barazi said the number of locals who left Palmyra city was around three thousand families, noting that a number of services facilities and establishments in the city have already resumed work.

For his part, Homs Health Director Hassan al-Jundi said there is a possibility of setting up an emergency health facility at present that will include laboratory, surgery and x-ray rooms until the health facilities are back into service again.

Earlier, several buses headed from outside the Governorate’s building transporting hundreds of people to inspect their houses, who were provided with food and some health stuff.

Reem/H. Said

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