Syria Homecoming: First group of civilians returns since 2013 battle of Qusayr

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Now moving to Syria. Hundreds of families have returned to their homes in Al Qusayr. They're the first group of civilians to do so since the town was liberated from rebels in 2013. CGTN correspondent Zhu Xuesong has more from Sunday's celebration.

Carrying posters of President Bashar al-Assad and Syrian flags, the crowd gathered in Qusayr's downtown plaza of this war-torn town. They fled their homes 6 years ago, when a battle broke out in 2013 as part of the Syrian civil war.

MUHEE ALDIN QUSAYR RESIDENT "When I left Al-Qusayr, I was seven. Now I am returning home which i know nothing about except some memories about the alley. I am extremely happy about that. A kid leaves his home at seven and returns now he's older."

The governor of Homs Talal Barazi, who was receiving the people in the town, told reporters that about 70 percent of the infrastructure has been restored to secure this important economic area in his province.

TALAL ALBARAZI GOVERNOR OF HOMS PROVINCE "Security forces have cleaned the area from mines and bombs and made it safe for residents to return, so we initiated the returning process. Public services will provide life lines to make it possible for people to live here."

Although most of their homes were too damaged to live in, some Qusayr residents told CGTN that they are confident in rebuilding their new homes on the ruins and bringing back the life they used to know.

AIMAN MAJALES QUSAYR RESIDENT "I feel optimistic, and I was eager to return and build the house. My friends and I will rebuild the whole alley and restore it to the way it was. I left this room when I was a little kid, now I want to make it my room again as a teenager."

ZHU XUESONG QUSAYR, SYRIA "Qusayr is located in a mountainous area overlooking Syria's border with Lebanon. More and more former residents are returning, as the Syrian government says it's able to control the security and stability in most of its border regions. Zhu Xuesong, CGTN, Qusayr, Syria."