All news

Syrian forces pull back to allow militants to leave eastern Aleppo — ministry

Syria’s Foreign Ministry says the government will do everything possible for stabilization of the situation in Aleppo

BEIRUT, October 19. /TASS/. Syrian forces "have pulled back from their positions in Aleppo so that militants can leave Aleppo’s eastern part along special corridors," says a statement of Syria’s Foreign Ministry released by SANA news agency on Wednesday.

Syria’s government "will do everything possible for stabilization of the situation in Aleppo and for deliveries of humanitarian aid to the city," it said.

"All measures have been taken to ensure that civilians and the wounded along with unarmed militants can be evacuated without any restriction from the city’s eastern districts," the statement says, noting that "the Syrian army has stopped shelling and required vehicles have readied for transportation of residents and the wounded."

Earlier on Wednesday, Head of the Main Operations Department at Russia’s General Staff Lieutenant-General Sergey Rudskoy said that at the request of a number of international organizations, the Russian and Syrian militaries decided to extend Thursday’s humanitarian pause in Aleppo for three hours, until 19:00 Moscow Standard Time (16.00 GMT).

Earlier, it was planned that the humanitarian pause would last from 08:00 to 16:00 Moscow Time.