According to Syrian media, 272 militants from Syria's Rif Dimashq, Homs, Aleppo and Idlib governorates have voluntarily surrendered to the authorities.

BEIRUT, November 16 (Sputnik) — More than 270 Syrian opposition militants have laid down weapons over the last 24 hours as part of the national reconciliation program, Syrian media reported Sunday.

According to SANA agency, 272 militants from Syria's Rif Dimashq, Homs, Aleppo and Idlib governorates have voluntarily surrendered to the authorities.

The Syrian government has repeatedly claimed that those who took the decision to lay down arms and surrender to the authorities would be released after passing the necessary checks.

Meanwhile, the intense fighting in the eastern part of Douma town in the suburbs of Damascus is continuing. According to the agency, the government troops have recently annihilated a group of militants and their leader Sari Enezi. Another group has been eliminated in Bala village near Douma.

Douma, a town located 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) northeast of Damascus, Syria's capital, was captured by Islamic militants from Jabhat al-Nusra and Jaysh al-Islam rebel groups in December 2013. Currently, Douma is considered to be one of the major strategic bases of the Syrian opposition forces.

The Syrian civil war began in 2011 following a string of anti-government uprisings. The Syrian government has been opposed by diverse armed extremist groups, such as Islamic State, and Jabhat al-Nusra, which is a branch of al-Qaeda. According to the UN estimates, the conflict has claimed more than 200,000 lives, with 9.6 million Syrians having fled their homes.