Syrian government ready for prisoner swaps with rebels

Syrian state media reported Monday that the government was "always ready" to exchange prisoners in its jails for people "kidnapped by terrorist groups", "particularly in the framework of efforts being made for the coming meeting in Astana” on Feb. 15-16.  There was no immediate reaction to the offer from rebel groups.

Earlier this month, the Syrian government and rebel groups swapped dozens of women prisoners and hostages, some of them with their children, in the northwestern Hama province.