FILE – This Monday, Dec. 23, 2019, file photo, civilians ride in a truck as they flee Maaret al-Numan, Syria, ahead of a government offensive. The M5 highway, recaptured by President Bashar Assad's forces this week, is arguably the most coveted prize in Syria's civil war. The strategic highway is vital for Syria's  economy as well as for moving troops. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed, File)
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