Russian sappers demine over 16 hectares of Aleppo territory

MOSCOW, December 13. /TASS/. Russian sappers have demined 16.3 hectares of Aleppo’s territory in the past 24 hours, defusing 1,200 explosive devices, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The Russian military servicemen of the International Mine Action Center continue to demine the recently liberated quarters of eastern Aleppo. Over the past 24 hours, they demined 16.3 hectares of the city territory. Besides that, 48 buildings, including five schools, a residential compound and a home for elderly people, have been cleared of explosive devices, as well as a park and motor roads with a total length of 2.5 kilometers," the statement reads.

"On the whole, 1,225 explosive objects, including 1,182 homemade explosive devices, have been defused," the center added. 

 Almost 7,800 civilians have left the areas of Syria’s Aleppo controlled by the militants over the past 24 hours, the center said. 

"Over the past 24 hours 7,796 civilians, including 3,946 children, have been evacuated from Aleppo’s areas remaining under control of militants with the assistance of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Parties," the statement said.

"All of them are staying in special humanitarian centers and are provided with hot meals and medical assistance if needed," the center said.

A total of 375 militants have laid down arms and entered the western part of the city.

Syrian troops and militias have established full control over eastern Aleppo and are quashing the last centers of resistance, mass media reports said late on Monday. The operation to liberate the quarters, which had been controlled by armed groups over the past several years, began in November.