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DAMASCUS, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Tens of civilians returned Thursday to their homes in "liberated areas" in the countryside of Manbij city in the northern countryside of Aleppo province as their areas have been secured by the Syrian army, state news agency SANA reported.

The civilians crossed from Manbij to their areas in the countryside of Manbij through the Tayha crossing, according to SANA.

Manbij has come under the spotlight recently when the Kurdish fighters declared withdrawal from it and handing their positions to the Syrian army to thwart a planned Turkish military campaign against it.

Earlier in the day, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said that the Turkey-backed rebels who were poised to attack Manbij withdrew as a result of an undeclared deal between Turkey and Russia.

For its side, the Syrian pro-government al-Watan newspaper said Thursday that the Turkey-backed rebels are withdrawing from the vicinity of Manbij in tandem with the withdrawing of the Kurdish-backed forces from the city itself amid reports that the Syrian government will assume control in the city.