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Terrorists cutting off Aleppo residents from humanitarian corridors

It was extremely difficult for these people to bring themselves to flee eastern Aleppo with daily threats from jihadists and sniper fire

ALEPPO, October 25. /TASS/. Insurgents in Aleppo continue to intimidate people and stop them from using the humanitarian corridors. Nevertheless, thanks to help of the Syrian and Russian militaries, a group of civilians, among them women and children, managed to escape from an eastern Aleppo neighborhood where terrorists earlier had been using civilians as human shields.

"About 50 people were evacuated from the city, mostly women and children. When we were on our way, the children were crying and trembled when they saw light… They were afraid of the light very much, but then they began smiling. It worked out well," said Sergey Kapitsyn, Deputy Head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties.

Running for their lives

It was very difficult for these people to bring themselves to flee eastern Aleppo with daily threats from jihadists and sniper fire. When Syria’s intelligence services said under strict secrecy that there is a safe corridor for leaving the city, it became clear that this was their chance to rescue themselves.

"We were able to pull ourselves out of this blockade. Look, these kids are scared. They are afraid of the militants who could chop off one’s arm or head for any minor infraction. And they saw all these atrocities with their own eyes. The children are stressed out, they need psychological help," said one of these persons.

A medical worker is treating little boy’s hastily dressed wound. The boy named Bashar refused to give away his bread that he was carrying, which was intended for his whole family, and he was beaten up for that. "He broke the glass and cut my hand, because I called him a thief. We wanted to flee through Bustan Al-Qasr, but the militants did not allow us to do that. People were caught, beaten. Gunmen shot at them and scared them with mortars. They took several children and locked them up in jail. I can’t believe that it’s all over," he said.

According to the survivors, the humanitarian situation in the blocked areas is dire. The insurgents only threw stale flatbread to them making people pray instead of providing them with medications.

Authorities ready and willing to help

Those who were able to flee the city are exhausted and hungry. They need accommodation, food and medical assistance. Some of them are going to stay with relatives, others have been sent to temporary accommodation centers. Syrian officials believe that these are not the last civilians who will be able to leave the areas controlled by the terrorists. Governor of Aleppo Province, Hussein Diab, promised to provide assistance to these people.

"These are our people. We prepared everything necessary for them in the humanitarian centers. We hope that all the rest will follow their lead," he said.

About 3,000 people remain in the areas controlled by insurgents. Over the past 24 hours, 5 people have lost their lives in terror attacks in Aleppo, including a child killed by a sniper, while 28 others suffered shrapnel wounds.