Syria releases 553 prisoners detained during the eight-month long unrest in the country, in line with the Arab League (AL) proposal to end the violence gripping the nation.

Young pro-Assad regime protest in Syria

Syria releases 553 prisoners detained during the eight-month long unrest in the country, in line with the Arab League (AL) proposal to end the violence gripping the nation.

The Syrian state news agency (SANA) reported that “553 detainees who were involved in the current events with no blood on their hands were released.”

SANA also said that another 119 prisoners had earlier been released.

Damascus accepted a peace plan proposed by the 22-member AL on Wednesday.

The plan calls for dialogue to take place between the government and the opposition and urges all parties to stop violence against Syrian citizens.

It also calls upon the government to both release those who were arrested during the unrest as well as to withdraw its military forces from residential areas. Syria has agreed to allow international journalists, human rights groups and AL representatives to observe the situation in the country.

On Friday, the Syrian interior ministry granted amnesty to those who would surrender their weapons from November 5 to 12, 2011. In addition, the military began pulling out its forces from urban areas.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March. Hundreds of Syrian security forces were killed.

Damascus blames the violence on outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups sponsored by foreign countries.