Damascus/Geneva — Syria is prepared for "open battle" against insurgents in the province where Damascus has been allowing them to gather under ceasefire deals, said the government official in charge of negotiations that have seen rebels yield swathes of territory. The past year has seen President Bashar al-Assad’s government recapture many key areas from rebels, including suburbs of the capital in what Damascus calls "reconciliation" deals. Insurgents agree to give up territory in return for safe passage out. Fighters have been given safe passage to Idlib Province, the biggest remaining rebel stronghold, which is in the northwest of the country. The government has sent buses to take them with their families. Idlib was also the destination for many of the 35,000 rebel fighters and civilians evacuated from eastern Aleppo last month in a deal brokered by Turkey and Russia, Assad’s most powerful ally, after insurgent groups were routed in the city. Ali Haidar, who as national reconcilia...
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