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| Aleppo evacuation operation has begun, Red Cross confirms – live updates | Aleppo evacuation operation has begun, Red Cross confirms – live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 10.46am GMT | |
| 10:46 | |
| Brita Hagi Hasan, mayor of eastern Aleppo, is to brief the European Council on the crisis in Aleppo, at a summit in Brussels today. | |
| EU leaders are set to stop short of threatening any new sanctions against Russia over the violence in Aleppo, according to AFP. | |
| Instead they have issued a draft statement which “strongly condemns” the assault by the “Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia” and calls on them to allow aid in to Aleppo. | |
| The statement obtained by AFP says “the EU is considering all available options.” | |
| Hasan wants the EU to go much further. Buzz Feed’s Alberto Nardelli quotes him urging the EU to “breathe some life back into international law”. | |
| 'European Council has a choice today: breathe some life back into international law, or kill it definitively' - mayor of east Aleppo. #EUCO | |
| President Tusk to meet #Aleppo @BritaHagihasan today at noon. https://t.co/qSyTSb06hR | |
| 10.27am GMT | |
| 10:27 | |
| The evacuation of 5,000 Syrian rebels and their family members from eastern Aleppo has begun, according to Russia’s TASS news agency citing the Russian defence ministry. | |
| A Russian military official was quoted as saying the rebels and their families would be evacuated via a humanitarian corridor that was 21 kilometres (13.05 miles) in length. | |
| The Red Cross confirms the start of a more modest operation to evacuate up to 250 wounded civilians. | |
| First Aleppo convoy includes 10 ambulances to transport 200-250 wounded. Multiple rotations today. ICRC and Sarc will oversee entire op | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.29am GMT | |
| 10.22am GMT | |
| 10:22 | |
| ICRC confirms start of evacuation of 200 wounded civilians | |
| The International Committee of the Red Cross confirms that an operation to evacuate 200 wounded civilians is underway. | |
| #BREAKING: Operation to evacuate around 200 wounded, some critically, from east #Aleppo underway. We’re on the ground with @SYRedCrescent. | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.51am GMT | |
| 10.21am GMT | |
| 10:21 | |
| Green buses may have move into eastern Aleppo but activists have told Human Rights Watch that no one has yet been moved out. | |
| Activists: still no movement of evacuees in #Aleppo | |
| A long line of buses was shown on state television crossing to the rebel sector. | |
| 10.15am GMT | 10.15am GMT |
| 10:15 | 10:15 |
| Ranj Alaaldin, a Middle East scholar at the London School of Economics, says ceasefires and humanitarian corridors are only temporary fixes to the plight of Syria’s civilians. In an opinion piece for the Guardian he writes: | Ranj Alaaldin, a Middle East scholar at the London School of Economics, says ceasefires and humanitarian corridors are only temporary fixes to the plight of Syria’s civilians. In an opinion piece for the Guardian he writes: |
| Temporary fixes like ceasefires or humanitarian corridors only provide political cover for, and distract attention away from, further atrocities and human rights abuses. Calls for a no-fly zone have been dismissed in the past, as have other measures seen as having the potential to escalate the conflict; but we mustn’t forget that it is the west’s averseness to risk that the Assad regime and its backers in Moscow and Tehran thrive on. Where the international community disengages, dictators and armed gangs fill the vacuum. | Temporary fixes like ceasefires or humanitarian corridors only provide political cover for, and distract attention away from, further atrocities and human rights abuses. Calls for a no-fly zone have been dismissed in the past, as have other measures seen as having the potential to escalate the conflict; but we mustn’t forget that it is the west’s averseness to risk that the Assad regime and its backers in Moscow and Tehran thrive on. Where the international community disengages, dictators and armed gangs fill the vacuum. |
| 10.12am GMT | 10.12am GMT |
| 10:12 | 10:12 |
| More than 20 buses from government held areas of Aleppo have moved into rebel held areas, a witness told Reuters. | More than 20 buses from government held areas of Aleppo have moved into rebel held areas, a witness told Reuters. |
| 10.06am GMT | 10.06am GMT |
| 10:06 | 10:06 |
| Here’s Russian military footage purporting to show green evacuation buses moving into eastern Aleppo. | Here’s Russian military footage purporting to show green evacuation buses moving into eastern Aleppo. |
| CONFIRMEDEvacuation of 1st batch of E. #Aleppo civilians about to begin. At least 20 Green Buses moving into position at #Ramouseh Xing. pic.twitter.com/xqPwbNgzMb | CONFIRMEDEvacuation of 1st batch of E. #Aleppo civilians about to begin. At least 20 Green Buses moving into position at #Ramouseh Xing. pic.twitter.com/xqPwbNgzMb |
| 9.57am GMT | 9.57am GMT |
| 09:57 | 09:57 |
| ICRC says evacuation is starting | ICRC says evacuation is starting |
| Kareem Shaheen | Kareem Shaheen |
| Ambulances have begun moving towards east Aleppo, the first step in a long awaited evacuation of the wounded in the besieged districts of the city, Kareem Shaheen reports. | |
| “The operation is starting, ambulances are moving,” an ICRC spokesperson told the Guardian. | |
| The ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are overseeing the evacuation. | |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.21am GMT | |
| 9.51am GMT | 9.51am GMT |
| 09:51 | 09:51 |
| The Guardian’s Kareem Shaheen is also hearing that the evacuation is underway. | The Guardian’s Kareem Shaheen is also hearing that the evacuation is underway. |
| Aleppo evacuation operation is beginning! Ambulances moving towards east Aleppo | Aleppo evacuation operation is beginning! Ambulances moving towards east Aleppo |
| 9.47am GMT | 9.47am GMT |
| 09:47 | 09:47 |
| There are still conflicting reports about whether the evacuation is underway. | There are still conflicting reports about whether the evacuation is underway. |
| Now Reuters reports that ambulances have started to move in a rebel-held area of eastern Aleppo. | Now Reuters reports that ambulances have started to move in a rebel-held area of eastern Aleppo. |
| Earlier the White Helmets said the evacuation had been suspended after ambulances were shot at. The Red Cross said it was on hold. But the UN’s Jan Egeland said it was underway amid security incidents. | Earlier the White Helmets said the evacuation had been suspended after ambulances were shot at. The Red Cross said it was on hold. But the UN’s Jan Egeland said it was underway amid security incidents. |
| 9.28am GMT | 9.28am GMT |
| 09:28 | 09:28 |
| Footage from Syrian activists purport to show people from eastern Aleppo boarding ambulances. The group Syria Charity says no one has yet left the area. | Footage from Syrian activists purport to show people from eastern Aleppo boarding ambulances. The group Syria Charity says no one has yet left the area. |
| Premières images de la préparation de l'évacuation des blessés du dernier hôpital d'#Alep-Est. Jusqu'à cet instant, PERSONNE n'est sorti. pic.twitter.com/cxkEcMD1uL | Premières images de la préparation de l'évacuation des blessés du dernier hôpital d'#Alep-Est. Jusqu'à cet instant, PERSONNE n'est sorti. pic.twitter.com/cxkEcMD1uL |
| 9.19am GMT | 9.19am GMT |
| 09:19 | 09:19 |
| Egeland: evacuation underway with 'security incidences' | Egeland: evacuation underway with 'security incidences' |
| The UN’s Jan Egeland says the evacuation is underway but there have already been security incidents, a snap report from Reuters says. | The UN’s Jan Egeland says the evacuation is underway but there have already been security incidents, a snap report from Reuters says. |
| It quotes him saying: “We are now receiving information from the Russians that they would indeed want us to participate in the evacuation, but confirmation only seems to come now, this morning, which is very late, because it is already ongoing and there have already been security incidences.” | It quotes him saying: “We are now receiving information from the Russians that they would indeed want us to participate in the evacuation, but confirmation only seems to come now, this morning, which is very late, because it is already ongoing and there have already been security incidences.” |
| “Thousands of people are in need of evacuation, but the first and most urgent thing is wounded, sick and children, including orphans,” he said. “I am really hopeful because it’s long, long overdue.” | “Thousands of people are in need of evacuation, but the first and most urgent thing is wounded, sick and children, including orphans,” he said. “I am really hopeful because it’s long, long overdue.” |
| Egeland is UN’s humanitarian adviser on Syria. | Egeland is UN’s humanitarian adviser on Syria. |
| 9.09am GMT | 9.09am GMT |
| 09:09 | 09:09 |
| An AFP correspondent at an army checkpoint on the southern edges of Aleppo reports seeing at least 20 empty buses and five ambulances ready to pick up evacuees. AFP adds: | An AFP correspondent at an army checkpoint on the southern edges of Aleppo reports seeing at least 20 empty buses and five ambulances ready to pick up evacuees. AFP adds: |
| Syrian state television reported that some 4,000 rebels and their families were to be evacuated. | Syrian state television reported that some 4,000 rebels and their families were to be evacuated. |
| A senior Syrian military source confirmed to AFP that “preparations are happening now” for the evacuation. | A senior Syrian military source confirmed to AFP that “preparations are happening now” for the evacuation. |
| Al-Farook Abu Bakr, the chief negotiator for the rebels, told AFP that the first convoy on Thursday would be only for wounded people, their carers and other civilians. | Al-Farook Abu Bakr, the chief negotiator for the rebels, told AFP that the first convoy on Thursday would be only for wounded people, their carers and other civilians. |
| “The evacuations will be from Ramoussa” on the southern outskirts of Aleppo, the official from hardline Islamist rebel group Ahrar al-Sham said. | “The evacuations will be from Ramoussa” on the southern outskirts of Aleppo, the official from hardline Islamist rebel group Ahrar al-Sham said. |
| He said an evacuation of rebel fighters would take place after the first or second convoy. | He said an evacuation of rebel fighters would take place after the first or second convoy. |
| “The first batch of wounded civilians, their relatives, and some other civilian families is being prepared,” said Ahmad al-Dbis, who heads a unit of doctors and other volunteers that are coordinating the evacuation of wounded people. | “The first batch of wounded civilians, their relatives, and some other civilian families is being prepared,” said Ahmad al-Dbis, who heads a unit of doctors and other volunteers that are coordinating the evacuation of wounded people. |
| He said that regime forces had fired on an ambulance bringing in the injured, killing one person and wounding two others. | He said that regime forces had fired on an ambulance bringing in the injured, killing one person and wounding two others. |
| 8.55am GMT | 8.55am GMT |
| 08:55 | 08:55 |
| Russian military footage purports to show several ambulances waiting to evacuate eastern Aleppo, amid unconfirmed claims by activists that pro-government forces shot at ambulances wounding four people. | Russian military footage purports to show several ambulances waiting to evacuate eastern Aleppo, amid unconfirmed claims by activists that pro-government forces shot at ambulances wounding four people. |
| 4 injured including the head of the civil defense regiment, Bibars, as Assad allying militias targeted the ambulances carrying the wounded. | 4 injured including the head of the civil defense regiment, Bibars, as Assad allying militias targeted the ambulances carrying the wounded. |
| Footage from live @mod_russia feed of #Ramouseh Crossing shows @ICRC_sy vehicles, @SARC_Aleppo personnel, but little else going on pic.twitter.com/FhdNei7dFx | Footage from live @mod_russia feed of #Ramouseh Crossing shows @ICRC_sy vehicles, @SARC_Aleppo personnel, but little else going on pic.twitter.com/FhdNei7dFx |
| 8.46am GMT | 8.46am GMT |
| 08:46 | 08:46 |
| SCD says evacuation suspended | SCD says evacuation suspended |
| The Syrian Civil Defence team says the plan to evacuate eastern Aleppo has been suspended because of concerns about safety. | The Syrian Civil Defence team says the plan to evacuate eastern Aleppo has been suspended because of concerns about safety. |
| They claim ambulances have been shot at. | They claim ambulances have been shot at. |
| the evacuation process suspended second time because of ceasefire violation by assad regime during evacuating injuries,#Aleppo | the evacuation process suspended second time because of ceasefire violation by assad regime during evacuating injuries,#Aleppo |
| @SyriaCivilDef member speck about what's happen with ambulance convoy #Assad force shot on them while they're trying to reach @SYRedCrescent pic.twitter.com/7yk4sN3p8r | @SyriaCivilDef member speck about what's happen with ambulance convoy #Assad force shot on them while they're trying to reach @SYRedCrescent pic.twitter.com/7yk4sN3p8r |
| 8.38am GMT | 8.38am GMT |
| 08:38 | 08:38 |
| The pro-Kremlin broadcaster RT has aerial footage of what it claims are “militants” being evacuated from Aleppo to Idlib. | The pro-Kremlin broadcaster RT has aerial footage of what it claims are “militants” being evacuated from Aleppo to Idlib. |
| Aerial LIVE footage: Militants being evacuated from #Aleppo to Idlib https://t.co/VLJN4M6P76 pic.twitter.com/AFPiOrRXF5 | Aerial LIVE footage: Militants being evacuated from #Aleppo to Idlib https://t.co/VLJN4M6P76 pic.twitter.com/AFPiOrRXF5 |
| The situation in eastern Aleppo remains unclear. | The situation in eastern Aleppo remains unclear. |
| The International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] will help with transport injured rebels out eastern Aleppo, Russia’s defence ministry said, according to Interfax. | The International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] will help with transport injured rebels out eastern Aleppo, Russia’s defence ministry said, according to Interfax. |
| The ICRC says the evacuation plan is still on hold. | The ICRC says the evacuation plan is still on hold. |
| 7.59am GMT | 7.59am GMT |
| 07:59 | 07:59 |
| We’re beginning live coverage of the latest from Aleppo as preparations are underway to evacuate civilians from the east of the city. | We’re beginning live coverage of the latest from Aleppo as preparations are underway to evacuate civilians from the east of the city. |
| Kareem Shaheen summarises the latest developments. | Kareem Shaheen summarises the latest developments. |
| These are the main points: | These are the main points: |
| While clearing evacuation route from Aleppo City for ambulances, White Helmet shot by Regime sniper while driving JCB/wheel loader. 15/12/16 | While clearing evacuation route from Aleppo City for ambulances, White Helmet shot by Regime sniper while driving JCB/wheel loader. 15/12/16 |
| CONFIRMEDSenior opposition figure confirms ambulances heading back to E. #Aleppo: "Regime scuttled the evacuation of 1st Batch of injured" | CONFIRMEDSenior opposition figure confirms ambulances heading back to E. #Aleppo: "Regime scuttled the evacuation of 1st Batch of injured" |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.22am GMT | at 8.22am GMT |