A general view shows the Israeli-Syrian border as it is seen from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israel July 19, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The evacuation of Syrian rebels and civilians from the border area with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights began on Friday as buses started to depart the area, according to a witness and the war monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The buses are headed towards rebel-held areas of the north under an agreement that will restore President Bashar al-Assad’s control of the frontier.