Hundreds of fighters and their families were set to leave on Thursday three towns located south of Damascus as part of the Syrian regime’s efforts to secure the capital and its surrounding areas. Regime forces isolated the Yarmouk Palestinian camp in southern Damascus as opposition factions announced they accepted a Russian-sponsored deal in the countryside of Homs, where forces agreed to transport opposition fighters to areas along the Turkish border in northern Syria. The deal was reached after "negotiations between figures from the three towns on one side, and Russia and the regime on the other," according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syrian state news agency SANA reported on Thursday that empty buses were entering the towns of Babila, Yalda and Beit Saham, to transport rebels and civilians who would head to opposition-held parts of northern Syria. "Around 5,000 terrorists and their families are expected to leave, fulfilling an agreement reached on Sunday between the Syrian regime and terrorist groups," the agency said. The departure of opposition fighters and their families came as regime forces continue their military operations against ISIS militants who control the largest part of the Yarmouk camp, in addition to some neighborhoods nearby. Units of Syrian regime forces have isolated the city of Al Hajar Al Aswad from the Yarmouk camp, splitting militants into two isolated groups. An official from the armed Syrian opposition said that rebels have accepted a deal with the regime to leave territory they hold near Homs. Assad’s forces are readying themselves to take the last two opposition-besieged pockets in the country. Meanwhile, Asharq Al-Awsat toured on Thursday the town of Afrin in southern Syria where it witnessed the return of life after the withdrawal of the People’s Protection Units and the Turkish Army from the city. Observers expect opposition fighters to deploy in Afrin and other nearby areas.