Syria Releases 48 Female Prisoners

Part of three-way hostage deal

At least 48 female prisoners have been released by the Syrian government in one of the final stages of a complex three-way hostage deal, reports say.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the government of President President Bashar al-Assad had freed them over the last two days.

Al-Jazeera broadcast footage of what it said were some of them being released.

Meanwhile electricity is slowly returning to Damascus after a rebel attack on a gas pipeline.