Friday Evening Deadline Set by Russia for Rebels to Leave Aleppo

On Wednesday, Russia and the Syrian army indicated an extended moratorium on air strikes in Aleppo. The two allied forces told anti-government rebels in the city to leave by Friday evening,

Russia is helping forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad to retake full control of Aleppo. However, rebels would be permitted to depart the city unharmed and with their weapons between 0900 and 1900 local time on Nov. 4 thru two distinct corridors, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Civilians and the wounded and ailing would be allowed to leave thru six other corridors, it said.

The Syrian army issued a similar statement later in the day urging rebel fighters to cease firing and to “use this opportunity” to leave the city with their weapons.

An official in an Aleppo-based insurgent group said rebels spurned the calls.

Fastaqim rebel group’s Zakaria Malahifji told Reuters that leaving Aleppo is completely out of the question. They will not give up the city of Aleppo to the Russians and will not surrender.

He denied there were corridors assuring safe transit and said civilians did not believe the government side.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said President Vladimir Putin had instructed the pause in fighting to prevent senseless killings. Further, Syrian authorities would guarantee its troops withdraw from the two corridors assigned for rebels.

Humanitarian cease-fires intended to allow both civilians and rebels to depart the city have been arranged by Moscow and Damascus previously. However, they have mostly failed amid unceasing violence as both sides accuse each other of preventing people from leaving.

No way out for rebels

On Tuesday, a Kremlin spokesman said the cessation of air strikes was still in effect, but could not be extended if rebels in the city did not cease their attacks.

Rebels inside the city had taken heavy casualties during the fighting and were essentially trapped, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.

“All attempts by the rebels to break through in Aleppo have failed,” the ministry said. “The terrorists have suffered heavy losses in lives, weapons, and equipment. They have no chance to break out of the city.”

 

 

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