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Aleppo bombarded despite Russian statement on halt to operations Aleppo bombarded despite Russian statement on halt to operations
(about 3 hours later)
Aleppo’s besieged east came under sustained attack overnight despite a Russian statement saying that combat operations would be halted, raising questions about the Kremlin’s commitment to a ceasefire deal and its leverage over its Syrian ally, Bashar al-Assad. Aleppo’s besieged east came under sustained attack overnight despite a Russian statement saying combat operations would be halted, raising questions about the Kremlin’s commitment to a ceasefire deal and its leverage over its Syrian ally, Bashar al-Assad.
Residents of east Aleppo said a number of neighbourhoods had been subjected to relentless bombardment overnight and on Friday morning, including rocket attacks and helicopter bombings and gunfire. Residents of east Aleppo said a number of neighbourhoods had been subjected to relentless bombardment overnight and on Friday morning, including rocket attacks, helicopter bombings and gunfire.
“Bombing never stops,” said Abdulkafi al-Hamdo, a teacher in east Aleppo, in a text message.“Bombing never stops,” said Abdulkafi al-Hamdo, a teacher in east Aleppo, in a text message.
“The regime and the Russians are putting out propaganda saying there the Aleppo frontlines are relatively quiet,” said Yasser al Youssef, a spokesperson for the Noureddine al Zinki rebel group in east Aleppo. “This is absolutely false. The airstrikes and artillery bombardment are ongoing on all districts of Aleppo and all the frontlines are on fire.” Yasser al Youssef, a spokesperson for the Noureddine al-Zinki rebel group in east Aleppo, said: “The regime and the Russians are putting out propaganda saying there the Aleppo frontlines are relatively quiet. This is absolutely false. The airstrikes and artillery bombardment are ongoing on all districts of Aleppo and all the frontlines are on fire.”
The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, had said on Thursday evening that the Syrian military would halt all activity in Aleppo to allow civilians to leave the besieged districts that are still under rebel control.The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, had said on Thursday evening that the Syrian military would halt all activity in Aleppo to allow civilians to leave the besieged districts that are still under rebel control.
On Friday, the UN’s human rights office expressed concern about the fate of civilians who had left rebel-held areas, saying there were reports that hundreds of men from eastern Aleppo had gone missing after crossing into regime-controlled districts. On Friday the UN’s human rights office expressed concern about the fate of civilians who had left rebel-held areas, saying there were reports that hundreds of men from eastern Aleppo had gone missing after crossing into regime-controlled districts.
“Given the terrible record of arbitrary detention, torture and disappearances, we are of course deeply concerned,” said Rupert Colville, the UN’s human rights spokesman.“Given the terrible record of arbitrary detention, torture and disappearances, we are of course deeply concerned,” said Rupert Colville, the UN’s human rights spokesman.
Reports had emerged in recent days from families in opposition areas who said they had lost contact with relatives who crossed over. The opposition says it believes some of the men have been forcibly recruited or tortured. Reports have emerged in recent days from families in opposition areas who said they had lost contact with relatives who crossed over. The opposition says it believes some of the men have been forcibly recruited or tortured.
Syrian soldiers and Iranian-backed Shia militias had spearheaded an assault on east Aleppo, three months into a siege that has left the area, under opposition control since 2012, starving and without any functioning hospitals for a quarter of a million civilians. Syrian soldiers and Iranian-backed Shia militias have spearheaded an assault on east Aleppo, three months into a siege that has left the area – under opposition control since 2012 – starving and without any functioning hospitals for a quarter of a million civilians.
Assad’s forces are within sight of a key victory in the war, now in its sixth year, having seized more than two-thirds of east Aleppo, including the historic Old City. Their defiance of the Russian pledge for a brief ceasefire highlights their confidence that reclaiming the city is within reach, and the limits of Moscow’s influence over the actions of its allies on the ground.Assad’s forces are within sight of a key victory in the war, now in its sixth year, having seized more than two-thirds of east Aleppo, including the historic Old City. Their defiance of the Russian pledge for a brief ceasefire highlights their confidence that reclaiming the city is within reach, and the limits of Moscow’s influence over the actions of its allies on the ground.
“Aleppo will completely change the course of the battle in all of Syria,” Assad said in an interview with the Syrian newspaper al-Watan.“Aleppo will completely change the course of the battle in all of Syria,” Assad said in an interview with the Syrian newspaper al-Watan.
Rebel fighters in the city have pledged to continue fighting the regime’s advance, committing to a last stand in the face of overwhelming odds and despite reports that some factions want to leave to spare the civilians in the city. “Absolutely none of the revolutionary factions will leave Aleppo,” said Bassam Mustafa, a member of Noureddine al-Zinki’s political office.Rebel fighters in the city have pledged to continue fighting the regime’s advance, committing to a last stand in the face of overwhelming odds and despite reports that some factions want to leave to spare the civilians in the city. “Absolutely none of the revolutionary factions will leave Aleppo,” said Bassam Mustafa, a member of Noureddine al-Zinki’s political office.
Rebel fighters had called for a five-day ceasefire to evacuate the wounded and any civilians wishing to leave, but they blamed Russian intransigence for the failure of the proposals so far. They said they had discussed the mechanics of such an evacuation with the United Nations but had been stymied by lack of cooperation from Moscow.Rebel fighters had called for a five-day ceasefire to evacuate the wounded and any civilians wishing to leave, but they blamed Russian intransigence for the failure of the proposals so far. They said they had discussed the mechanics of such an evacuation with the United Nations but had been stymied by lack of cooperation from Moscow.
People aligned with the military opposition say they were compelled to withdraw from other districts earlier this week in order to avoid being cut off and besieged, but that they would not retreat further beyond the current frontlines. People aligned with the military opposition say they were compelled to withdraw from other districts earlier this week in order to avoid being cut off and besieged, but say they will not retreat further beyond the current frontlines.
While they have managed to slow the regime’s advance on Thursday, it is unclear how long they can last in the ruins of east Aleppo, under a debilitating siege and vanishing food and medicine stocks and with little backing from regional powers that once supported the uprising. Although they managed to slow the regime’s advance on Thursday, it is unclear how long they can last in the ruins of east Aleppo under a debilitating siege and with little backing from regional powers that once supported the uprising.
Turkey, a stalwart backer of the rebels, broke its silence on Aleppo on Thursday, accusing the Assad regime of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, but saying it was involved in negotiations with Russia over a possible ceasefire. Turkey, a stalwart backer of the rebels, broke its silence on Aleppo on Thursday, accusing the Assad regime of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity but saying it was involved in negotiations with Russia over a possible ceasefire.
“The developments in Aleppo are of serious concern for all of us,” said Ibrahim Kalin, the spokesman of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “The regime continues to openly commit war crimes and crimes against humanity.” “The developments in Aleppo are of serious concern for all of us,” said Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “The regime continues to openly commit war crimes and crimes against humanity. We call for an end to the clashes and the delivery of humanitarian aid. We continue our diplomatic efforts for Aleppo.”
“We call for an end to the clashes and the delivery of humanitarian aid,” he added. “We continue our diplomatic efforts for Aleppo.”
Turkey’s silence in recent weeks over the escalating assault has been seen by observers as a sign of an understanding with Russia – that its aim is no longer the overthrow of Assad but rather the creation of a buffer zone in northern Syria to limit Kurdish ambitions for an autonomous region and to put an end to Islamic State attacks in Turkey’s interior.Turkey’s silence in recent weeks over the escalating assault has been seen by observers as a sign of an understanding with Russia – that its aim is no longer the overthrow of Assad but rather the creation of a buffer zone in northern Syria to limit Kurdish ambitions for an autonomous region and to put an end to Islamic State attacks in Turkey’s interior.
Meanwhile, east Aleppo’s residents continued to suffer amid the violence, with thousands displaced in recent weeks. The opposition claimed chlorine gas was deployed on one of its neighbourhoods, al-Kallaseh, on Thursday afternoon. Meanwhile, east Aleppo’s residents continued to suffer amid the violence, with thousands displaced in recent weeks. The opposition claimed chlorine gas had been deployed on one of its neighbourhoods, al-Kallaseh, on Thursday afternoon.
“To everyone who is able to help, to all governments, journalists, civil society organisations, Aleppo is dying,” said Abu Jaafar, a forensic medicine doctor in east Aleppo, in a voice message. “There are massacres everywhere. They are killing everyone. Stop that massacres targeting what is left of people and stones. I urge you to use all of your power to save whoever is left. We are done here. This may be my last call.” “To everyone who is able to help, to all governments, journalists, civil society organisations, Aleppo is dying,” said Abu Jaafar, a forensic medicine doctor in east Aleppo, in an audio message. “There are massacres everywhere. They are killing everyone. Stop that massacres targeting what is left of people and stones. I urge you to use all of your power to save whoever is left. We are done here. This may be my last call.”