A Syrian military source said Thursday the army units started to withdraw from the western town of Talkalakh after accomplishing their mission to contain the chaos caused by "armed criminals", Syrian official news agency SANA reported.
Life in the town is gradually returning to normal, the source said.
Talkalakh, a town of about 70,000 people near the borders with Lebanon, has been under siege since last week, private daily al- Watan said earlier. More than 400 gunmen, who had fled the coastal city of Banias and the central province of Homs, stationed in Talkalakh, instigating clashes with the army.
The Syrian army sealed off the city last Thursday and warned the gunmen to surrender, al-Watan said, adding that their rejection had triggered a prompt military intervention to put an end to their "mutiny."
Syria has been in unrest for two months after the anti- government demonstrations broke up in the southern province of Daraa. The protests have spread to several other Syrian cities, leading to the death of dozens of protesters and policemen.
The ruling Baath party of Syria, which ruled the country for decades, has announced a package of reforms, including the increase of salaries and release of political detainees.