Damascus: The first bus transporting the people released from the rebels’ captivity in Syria’s Douma, reached the Syrian army position near the capital Damascus on Sunday, April 8, state TV reported.

The bus reached the Wafideen area northeast of the capital, transporting people kidnapped by the Islam Army in Douma, the last rebel-held area in Damascus’ Eastern Ghouta, reports Xinhua.

A live coverage showed the civilians in the first bus to reach Wafideen area with soldiers chanting and celebrating their release.

The release of kidnapped people from Douma is a priority of the Syrian army in a deal reached on Sunday for the evacuation of the Islam Army rebels and their families in exchange for the release of the kidnapped civilians.

The released people will be taken to the Faiha stadium in Damascus to celebrate their release after four years of captivity in the rebels’ prisons in Douma.

“With soul and blood, we sacrifice for you Bashar,” the soldiers at the Wafideen area chanted for President Bashar al-Assad.

It’s the first batch of thousands of kidnapped people to be released from Douma as thousands more are expected in other batches.

Most of those civilians were kidnapped when the rebels stormed the Adra Omaliyeh town near Damascus in 2013.

In an earlier report, the state TV said a total of 40 buses transporting rebels of the Islam Army and their families as well as kidnapped people are ready to leave Douma district toward the adjacent Wafideen area.