People detained by the Syrian regime and the opposition were mutually released Friday in the Abu al-Zindeen district in the south of al-Bab, controlled by the opposition, the Foreign Ministry stated.

"As the fifth project of the Working Group on the Release of Detainees/Abductees, Handover of Bodies and Identification of Missing Persons which was established within the framework of the Astana process with the participation of Turkey, the Russian Federation and Iran as well as the United Nations, several persons detained by the opposition groups and the regime were mutually and simultaneously released," the ministry said in a written statement.

It further added that the working group will continue its activities in the coming period.

The Astana meeting was initiated by Turkey, Iran and Russia to bring the warring sides in Syria together to find a permanent solution to the decadelong war. The main agenda items have been the constitutional system, the political transition, security and resettlement. The first meeting of the Astana process was held in Turkey in January 2017 to facilitate U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Geneva.