ANKARA, December 22. /TASS/. Turkish Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim, has said that nearly 40,000 civilians had been evacuated from Syria’s Aleppo.

"We had intense diplomatic work with our partners and achieved a ceasefire in Aleppo," he said addressing members of the ruling party on Thursday. "We began the evacuation of civilians from the city. About 40,000 people have been brought out of the city and taken to safe areas."

Yildirim noted that "it was difficult." "There are those in the region who do not want peace, who are doing their utmost to impair the peace process whenever possible. However, we have succeeded, and the evacuation of the population continues," he added.

Under the existing agreements, the remaining members of the armed groups should be withdrawn from Aleppo simultaneously with the evacuation of civilians and militiamen from the Shiite villages of Al Fua and Kefraya. According to the Al Watan newspaper, 4,000 people have to be evacuated from there. These are mostly civilians who need medical assistance and wounded soldiers of the National Defense Forces protecting these villages from terrorists.