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Aleppo battle: Hopes rise for evacuation of rebel-held areas Aleppo battle: Hopes rise for evacuation of rebel-held areas
(35 minutes later)
Buses are again poised to start evacuations from a rebel-held enclave in the Syrian city of Aleppo under a renewed but fragile deal.Buses are again poised to start evacuations from a rebel-held enclave in the Syrian city of Aleppo under a renewed but fragile deal.
Fighters and civilians had been due to leave on Wednesday, but a ceasefire collapsed. Rebels say a new truce came into effect on Thursday morning.Fighters and civilians had been due to leave on Wednesday, but a ceasefire collapsed. Rebels say a new truce came into effect on Thursday morning.
One convoy of ambulances tried to leave but was shot at, rebel sources said.One convoy of ambulances tried to leave but was shot at, rebel sources said.
Government forces took nearly all remaining rebel-held parts of Aleppo this week after a four-year battle.Government forces took nearly all remaining rebel-held parts of Aleppo this week after a four-year battle.
Latest updates from AleppoLatest updates from Aleppo
Syrian state TV said "4,000 rebels and their families would be evacuated from eastern districts on Thursday", adding that "all the procedures for their evacuation are ready". Has the evacuation already started?
A media unit run by Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia Muslim movement backing the Syrian government, said there had been "big complications" but that "intensive contacts between the responsible parties... led to re-consolidating a ceasefire to exit armed fighters from eastern districts in the next few hours". TV footage showed some ambulances moving towards eastern Aleppo, followed shortly after by a column of buses.
Soldiers from Russia - Syria's ally - would lead the rebels out, escorting them along a corridor towards Idlib city on buses and ambulances, with surveillance drones monitoring the situation, a statement from the Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, part of Russia's ministry of defence, said. The Russian Tass organisation reported that the evacuation had begun, citing the Russian defence ministry.
The buses will reportedly leave Aleppo on the road through the government-controlled south-western district of Ramousseh to the rebel-held town of Khan Touman, about 8km (5 miles) away. Earlier reports from an ambulance service official in eastern Aleppo said that one convoy of ambulances did leave but had been shot at, and three people were injured. An opposition source told the BBC the convoy had headed back to eastern Aleppo.
The statement also said that Syrian authorities had guaranteed the safety of all members of the armed groups who decided to leave Aleppo. Apparently referring to this, UN humanitarian adviser for Syria Jan Egeland suggested that the evacuation operation was "already ongoing and there have already been security incidences".
The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Moscow says that the phrasing "on the orders of President Putin" in the statement is significant, apparently underlining the country's commitment to the deal.
The Red Cross and Syrian Arab Red Crescent confirmed they would be involved in the operation to evacuate wounded but had not yet started.
Ismail al-Abdullah, a volunteer for the White Helmets civil defence group, told the BBC that buses had now entered the area in which he was working and that he hoped the evacuation would now take place.Ismail al-Abdullah, a volunteer for the White Helmets civil defence group, told the BBC that buses had now entered the area in which he was working and that he hoped the evacuation would now take place.
But the White Helmets tweeted that one senior volunteer had been shot and injured by a sniper while clearing an evacuation route for ambulances. In a separate tweet, the group said it was suspending its evacuation operation.But the White Helmets tweeted that one senior volunteer had been shot and injured by a sniper while clearing an evacuation route for ambulances. In a separate tweet, the group said it was suspending its evacuation operation.
An ambulance service official in eastern Aleppo said one convoy of ambulances did leave but had been shot at, with three people injured. An opposition source told the BBC the convoy had headed back to eastern Aleppo. What are the players on the ground saying?
BBC Arabic's Asaf Aboud, in Aleppo, says there was some shelling by rebels and air strikes by government forces overnight. Syrian state TV said "4,000 rebels and their families would be evacuated from eastern districts on Thursday", adding that "all the procedures for their evacuation are ready".
The new deal should allow the simultaneous evacuation of two villages - Foah and Kefraya - being besieged by rebels in north-western Syria. A statement from the Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, part of Russia's ministry of defence, said the Syrian authorities had guaranteed the safety of all members of the armed groups who decided to leave Aleppo.
Syria's government and its ally Iran had insisted the evacuation from eastern Aleppo could happen only when those villages were evacuated. Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia Muslim movement backing the Syrian government, said there had been "big complications" but that "intensive contacts between the responsible parties... led to re-consolidating a ceasefire to exit armed fighters from eastern districts in the next few hours".
On Wednesday morning, buses and ambulances had been brought to evacuate rebel fighters and their families - only to be turned away shortly afterwards. The rebels confirmed a new truce had come into effect at 03:00 GMT and that a new deal had been agreed.
Hours after the first agreement - brokered mainly by Russia and Turkey - collapsed, air strikes resumed over rebel-held territory, where up to 50,000 civilians remain. Where will civilians, the wounded and rebels be taken?
It is not clear how many rebel fighters remain in the besieged areas. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said there were approximately 1,500, about 30% of whom were from the jihadist group formerly known as the al-Nusra Front. Russia's defence ministry has said buses will take the injured, civilians and rebel fighters to the neighbouring province of Idlib, most of which is controlled by a powerful rebel alliance that includes the jihadist group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham.
The UN said raids by the Syrian government and its allies on an area "packed with civilians" most probably violated international law. The buses will reportedly leave Aleppo on the road through the government-controlled south-western district of Ramousseh heading towards the rebel-held town of Khan Touman, only about 8km (5 miles) away.
The BBC has learned that Western forces are using satellites and unmanned aircraft to gather evidence of possible war crimes in Aleppo and elsewhere in Syria. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, director of Doctors Under Fire, said its plan was to take the wounded to its main hospital 25km away, over the Turkish border.
Most politically sensitive deal - BBC's Lyse Doucet in Beirut The Red Cross and Syrian Arab Red Crescent confirmed they would be involved in the operation to evacuate the wounded but had not yet started.
Many of Syria's prolonged battles and punishing sieges have ended with a negotiated pullout of rebel fighters. The BBC's Asaf Aboud, in Aleppo, says the government has indicated that the evacuated civilians will be able to choose whether they want to leave or stay in the city.
The day of departure is often marked by delays and new demands. Aleppo is no different. But this is the most politically sensitive deal of all. How many remain in eastern Aleppo?
The first deal appeared to upset Iran as well as the Syrian government - they felt they did not have enough of a say. It's believed up to 50,000 people remain. That is said to include about 4,000 fighters and about 10,000 family members of fighters.
Both insisted, as they have done for aid convoys and evacuations elsewhere, that there must be a simultaneous mission for injured fighters and civilians in the Shia villages of Foah and Kefraya. There have been arguments over other details, too. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura says approximately 30% of the fighters are from the jihadist group formerly known as the al-Nusra Front.
Only when buses are boarded, and ambulances pull away, can it be said with any certainty that this battle is drawing to a close.
Aleppo's besieged residents have faced weeks of bombardment and chronic food and fuel shortages.Aleppo's besieged residents have faced weeks of bombardment and chronic food and fuel shortages.
Medical facilities in the city have largely been reduced to rubble, as rebels have been squeezed into ever-smaller areas by a major government offensive, backed by Russian air power.Medical facilities in the city have largely been reduced to rubble, as rebels have been squeezed into ever-smaller areas by a major government offensive, backed by Russian air power.
Meanwhile, demonstrations in solidarity with the people of Aleppo have taken place in cities across the world, including Hamburg in Germany, Sarajevo in Bosnia and Rabat in Morocco. Why did the earlier deal fail?
The lights of the Eiffel Tower were also dimmed. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said she hoped the gesture would highlight the need for "urgent action" to help the people of Aleppo. On Wednesday morning, buses and ambulances had been brought to evacuate rebel fighters and their families - only to be turned away shortly afterwards.
Syria's government and its ally Iran had insisted the evacuation from eastern Aleppo could happen only with the simultaneous evacuation of two villages - Foah and Kefraya - being besieged by rebels in north-western Syria.
Hours after the first agreement - brokered mainly by Russia and Turkey - collapsed, air strikes resumed over rebel-held territory.