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| Aleppo residents still await evacuation amid uncertainty over ceasefire deal | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The evacuation of rebel-held eastern Aleppo is yet to begin, despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia and Turkey that was to allow civilians and opposition fighters from the besieged eastern districts of the city to leave. | The evacuation of rebel-held eastern Aleppo is yet to begin, despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia and Turkey that was to allow civilians and opposition fighters from the besieged eastern districts of the city to leave. |
| It was unclear when residents would be allowed to leave east Aleppo, which the United Nations said on Tuesday had endured a brutal “meltdown of humanity” as forces loyal to the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, rampaged through newly reclaimed districts reportedly carrying out extrajudicial killings. | It was unclear when residents would be allowed to leave east Aleppo, which the United Nations said on Tuesday had endured a brutal “meltdown of humanity” as forces loyal to the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, rampaged through newly reclaimed districts reportedly carrying out extrajudicial killings. |
| The ceasefire held overnight, but Syrian forces resumed shelling rebel areas briefly on Wednesday morning in what Russia said was a response to rebel attacks. The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said rebel resistance was likely to end in the next two or three days. | The ceasefire held overnight, but Syrian forces resumed shelling rebel areas briefly on Wednesday morning in what Russia said was a response to rebel attacks. The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said rebel resistance was likely to end in the next two or three days. |
| France’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that confusion surrounding the evacuation showed it was imperative to have UN observers to manage the process. | France’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that confusion surrounding the evacuation showed it was imperative to have UN observers to manage the process. |
| “France wants the presence of UN observers on the ground and humanitarian organisations like the Red Cross must intervene,” Jean-Marc Ayrault told France 2 television. | “France wants the presence of UN observers on the ground and humanitarian organisations like the Red Cross must intervene,” Jean-Marc Ayrault told France 2 television. |
| There had been conflicting accounts of the expected start times for the evacuation. A military official in the pro-Assad alliance had said the evacuation was due to start at 5am (3am GMT), while opposition officials said they had been expecting a first group of wounded people to leave earlier. | There had been conflicting accounts of the expected start times for the evacuation. A military official in the pro-Assad alliance had said the evacuation was due to start at 5am (3am GMT), while opposition officials said they had been expecting a first group of wounded people to leave earlier. |
| However, none had left by dawn, according to a Reuters witness at the agreed point of departure. Twenty buses were waiting with their engines running but showed no sign of moving into Aleppo’s eastern districts. | However, none had left by dawn, according to a Reuters witness at the agreed point of departure. Twenty buses were waiting with their engines running but showed no sign of moving into Aleppo’s eastern districts. |
| “There is certainly a delay,” said Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor. | “There is certainly a delay,” said Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor. |
| Aleppo-based rebel groups accused Shia militias backed by Iran and allied to Assad of obstructing the Russian-brokered deal. The pro-opposition Orient TV cited its correspondent as saying the plan may be delayed until Thursday. | Aleppo-based rebel groups accused Shia militias backed by Iran and allied to Assad of obstructing the Russian-brokered deal. The pro-opposition Orient TV cited its correspondent as saying the plan may be delayed until Thursday. |
| The United Nations said on Wednesday it was “not involved” in plans to evacuate fighters and civilians, but it was ready to help. | The United Nations said on Wednesday it was “not involved” in plans to evacuate fighters and civilians, but it was ready to help. |
| “[The UN] stands ready to facilitate the voluntary and safe evacuation of injured, sick and vulnerable civilians from the besieged part of the city,” the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (Unocha) said in a statement. | “[The UN] stands ready to facilitate the voluntary and safe evacuation of injured, sick and vulnerable civilians from the besieged part of the city,” the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (Unocha) said in a statement. |
| Under the terms of the deal, negotiated between Turkish intelligence and the Russian military, a ceasefire went into effect on Tuesday at 6pm local time. | Under the terms of the deal, negotiated between Turkish intelligence and the Russian military, a ceasefire went into effect on Tuesday at 6pm local time. |
| Soon afterwards, Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, said fighting in the east of the city had ended. “According to the latest information that we received in the last hour, military actions in eastern Aleppo are over,” he told reporters in New York. | Soon afterwards, Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, said fighting in the east of the city had ended. “According to the latest information that we received in the last hour, military actions in eastern Aleppo are over,” he told reporters in New York. |
| A senior Turkish official told the Guardian that Ankara and Moscow would act as guarantors of the agreement, which would allow “civilians and moderate rebels with light weapons” to leave Aleppo for Idlib province. “Once they reach Idlib, they will be free to relocate,” the official added. | A senior Turkish official told the Guardian that Ankara and Moscow would act as guarantors of the agreement, which would allow “civilians and moderate rebels with light weapons” to leave Aleppo for Idlib province. “Once they reach Idlib, they will be free to relocate,” the official added. |
| Rebel officials from Nour al-din al-Zenki and Ahrar al-Sham, two powerful opposition groups with a presence in the city, confirmed the deal to evacuate, but there was confusion over exactly where the opposition would have to go, with rebels saying they would be transported to the western Aleppo countryside. | Rebel officials from Nour al-din al-Zenki and Ahrar al-Sham, two powerful opposition groups with a presence in the city, confirmed the deal to evacuate, but there was confusion over exactly where the opposition would have to go, with rebels saying they would be transported to the western Aleppo countryside. |
| The agreement to evacuate, which has effectively ended the battle for Aleppo after four years of fighting, capped weeks of immense suffering and violence that have left residents in total despair and increasingly angry at the international community for abandoning them to their fate. | The agreement to evacuate, which has effectively ended the battle for Aleppo after four years of fighting, capped weeks of immense suffering and violence that have left residents in total despair and increasingly angry at the international community for abandoning them to their fate. |
| The US ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, told the security council that the Syrian government, along with Russia and Iran, bore responsibility for the deaths of civilians in Aleppo. She accused the three states of putting a “noose” around civilians in the city, asking: “Are you incapable of shame? … Is there no execution of a child that gets under your skin? Is there literally nothing that shames you?” | The US ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, told the security council that the Syrian government, along with Russia and Iran, bore responsibility for the deaths of civilians in Aleppo. She accused the three states of putting a “noose” around civilians in the city, asking: “Are you incapable of shame? … Is there no execution of a child that gets under your skin? Is there literally nothing that shames you?” |
| The United Nations said it had received reliable reports from multiple sources that pro-Assad forces, including the Iraqi Shia militia Harakat al-Nujaba, had carried out summary killings of at least 82 civilians, including 11 women and 13 children in four different neighbourhoods of east Aleppo that had fallen under government control. | The United Nations said it had received reliable reports from multiple sources that pro-Assad forces, including the Iraqi Shia militia Harakat al-Nujaba, had carried out summary killings of at least 82 civilians, including 11 women and 13 children in four different neighbourhoods of east Aleppo that had fallen under government control. |
| Reports of killings by the advancing regime forces, who are led by Iranian-backed militias, raised grave concerns over the fate of tens of thousands of civilians, doctors and activists who have remained in the shrinking rebel enclaves, and who faced death if they stayed there or being tortured and killed in regime-held areas if they fled over government lines. | Reports of killings by the advancing regime forces, who are led by Iranian-backed militias, raised grave concerns over the fate of tens of thousands of civilians, doctors and activists who have remained in the shrinking rebel enclaves, and who faced death if they stayed there or being tortured and killed in regime-held areas if they fled over government lines. |
| Reuters reported residents in eastern Aleppo have been packing their bags and burning personal possessions as they prepare to leave, fearing looting by the Syrian army and its Iranian-backed militia allies when they restore control. | Reuters reported residents in eastern Aleppo have been packing their bags and burning personal possessions as they prepare to leave, fearing looting by the Syrian army and its Iranian-backed militia allies when they restore control. |
| “I really, really hope this deal will materialise because the suffering of civilians on both sides has been immense,” said Pawel Krzysiek, head of media at the International Committee of the Red Cross, who was in Aleppo. “There is a human tragedy happening all over the city. People who lost everything are suffering here enormously.” | “I really, really hope this deal will materialise because the suffering of civilians on both sides has been immense,” said Pawel Krzysiek, head of media at the International Committee of the Red Cross, who was in Aleppo. “There is a human tragedy happening all over the city. People who lost everything are suffering here enormously.” |
| The evacuation of east Aleppo means the opposition will cede the entire city, Syria’s former commercial capital, to the Assad regime, surrendering the last major urban stronghold where it maintained an active presence. | The evacuation of east Aleppo means the opposition will cede the entire city, Syria’s former commercial capital, to the Assad regime, surrendering the last major urban stronghold where it maintained an active presence. |