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Aleppo: Syrian army resumes bombardment of city as fragile ceasefire crumbles Aleppo: Syrian army resumes bombardment of city as fragile ceasefire crumbles
(about 1 hour later)
The Syrian army will resume its military operations in Aleppo, the Russian Defence Ministry has said, after reported rebel infringement of the fragile ceasefire. Air strikes have resumed in the Syrian city of Aleppo after what the Russian Defence Ministry said was a dawn rebel infringement of the fragile ceasefire.
Rebel officials and a souce close the regime told AFP on Wednesday that the deal was on hold after government shelling hit a rebel neighbourhood, dashing the hopes of trapped civilians for a truce. Rebel officials and a souce close the regime told AFP on Wednesday that the deal was on hold after government shelling hit a rebel neighbourhood, dashing the hopes of trapped civilians for a truce. 
A Turkey and Russia brokered ceasefire deal to bring peace to what a UN representative described as a "meltdown of humanity" went into effect on Tuesday evening. It was supposed to include the evacuation of up to 5,000 people to neighbouring rebel-held Idlib province.  Syrian state TV reported six deaths in the recently recaptured area of Bustan al-Quassr after rebel shelling.
However, Lebanese al-Manar TV broadcast footage showing the Syrian government's green evacuation buses leaving the agreed checkpoint without any passengers, indicating the evacuations will be futher delayed and the short-lived promise of a ceasefire is over.  A Turkey and Russia brokered ceasefire deal to bring peace to what a UN representative described as a "meltdown of humanity" had gone into effect on Tuesday evening. It was supposed to include the evacuation of up to 5,000 people to neighbouring rebel-held Idlib province. 
Russia's Interfax news agency said that rebel attacks at dawn on government strongholds in the northeast of Aleppo had been repelled, and pro-government forces would continue the operation to quash resistance in the last opposition neighbourhoods.   However, Lebanese al-Manar TV broadcast footage showing the Syrian government's green buses leaving the agreed checkpoint without any passengers, indicating the evacuations will be futher delayed and the short-lived promise of a ceasefire is over. 
Many in east Aleppo didn't sleep last night awaiting the start of the arranged passage out of the city to neighbouring rebel-held Idlib province. Monitors reported that rebel fighters had prevented civilians who wanted to leave from doing so.
Activists sent audio recordings of planes overhead and explosions as the news broke on Wednesday that the ceasefire had completely failed. "We want to leave... we don't want more massacres, let us leave, what is happening," one said in a Whatsapp message. 
Russia's Interfax news agency said that pro-government forces would continue the operation to quash resistance in the last opposition neighbourhoods.  
Between 50,000 - 100,000 people are thought to still be trapped in the last slivers of rebel territory in east Aleppo after the Syrian army and Iran-backed militas captured all but a few remaining neighbourhoods in the divided city on Monday.Between 50,000 - 100,000 people are thought to still be trapped in the last slivers of rebel territory in east Aleppo after the Syrian army and Iran-backed militas captured all but a few remaining neighbourhoods in the divided city on Monday.
Reports of the executions of 82 civilians by pro-government militias, including women and children, have alarmed rights groups and the international community, as has the destruction and death caused by incessant bombing and a collapse of medical aid. Reports of the executions of 82 civilians by pro-government militias, including women and children, have alarmed rights groups and the international community, as has the destruction and death caused by incessant bombing and a collapse of medical aid. 
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces have all but retaken the city, which after four years of fierce fighting has become the epicentre of Syria's bloody civil war.  The ceasefire agreement - which did not include the Syrian government or UN in consultations - reportedly ran into trouble after Shia militias added fresh demands to the deal, such as the evacuation of injured pro-government forces from other areas. 
Fighting may not continue much longer, however. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces have all but retaken the city, which after four years of fierce fighting has become the epicentre of Syria's bloody civil war. 
Rebel supply lines were cut off in July, and an intense Russian-backed bombing campaign since September has killed hundreds, decimated medical infrastructure, and bought the last urban rebel stronghold in Syria to its knees. Rebel supply lines were cut off in July, and an intense Russian-backed bombing campaign since September has killed hundreds, decimated medical infrastructure, and bought the last urban rebel stronghold in Syria to its knees. 
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that he expected all rebel resistance to crumble within the next two to three days.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that he expected all rebel resistance to crumble within the next two to three days.
Residents and activists in the rebel-controlled parts of the city have expressed fears that they will be detained, tortured and killed for resistance to the regime - including humanitarian workers, doctors and teachers. Residents and activists in the rebel-controlled parts of the city have expressed fears that they will be detained, tortured and killed for resistance to the regime - including humanitarian workers, doctors and teachers. 
"Anyone who knows anything about the Assad regime should know what to expect. Death will be a wish for those captured and deemed [to be] opposition, weather [sic] military or civil," one wrote in a Whatsapp message to journalists."Anyone who knows anything about the Assad regime should know what to expect. Death will be a wish for those captured and deemed [to be] opposition, weather [sic] military or civil," one wrote in a Whatsapp message to journalists.
Recapturing Aleppo will be Mr Assad's biggest victory yet in the six-year-old war - but with two thirds of Syria still controlled by the US-backed Free Syrian Army umbrella of rebel factions, extremist groups and the Kurds in the north, the complex conflict is far from over.Recapturing Aleppo will be Mr Assad's biggest victory yet in the six-year-old war - but with two thirds of Syria still controlled by the US-backed Free Syrian Army umbrella of rebel factions, extremist groups and the Kurds in the north, the complex conflict is far from over.
To date more than 400,000 people have lost their lives and half of Syria's population displaced from their homes by fighting, the UN says. To date more than 400,000 people have lost their lives and half of Syria's population displaced from their homes by fighting, the UN says.