Syria: Assad takes border crossing as rebels agree to deal

Syrian regime troops, backed by allies Russia and Iran, stepped up attacks on Daraa province in the country's south this week after the rebels rejected the terms of an earlier ceasefire offer.

In the wake of a massive Russian-backed air and ground offensive, which has been ongoing since mid-June, government soldiers have been able to recapture large parts of Daara. The violence has driven hundreds of thousands of civilians from their homes.

The offensive prompted more than 330,000 residents to flee towards the sealed borders of Israel and Jordan. Many were forced to camp in open spaces or makeshift shelters.

According to the United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, it was the "largest wave of displacement to hit southern Syria since the start of the seven-year-long war." The agency said more than 60 children had been killed in the past three weeks in southern Syria alone.

Regime troops reached the main border crossing with Jordan on Friday and raised the Syrian flag, state media said. Naseeb border came under rebel control in 2015, disrupting a major trade route between Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and oil-rich gulf countries. Its recapture potentially means Syria can resume exports to Arab nations; in that sense it marks a significant victory for President Bashar Assad.

State news agency SANA said the capture of the crossing happened after a deal was reached between rebels and Russian mediators to end fighting in southern Syria. Ibrahim Jabawi, spokesman for the rebels' joint operations room, said the insurgents agreed to handover their weapons in return for a government pullout from several villages. It's not clear when the reported deal goes into effect.