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Aleppo evacuations: first group of wounded leaving city's east – live Aleppo evacuations: first group of wounded leaving city's east – live
(35 minutes later)
2.22pm GMT
14:22
Here’s a summary of the latest on the evacuation of eastern Aleppo.
2.03pm GMT
14:03
A Syrian official has told Reuters that a second convoy of 15 buses could soon leave eastern Aleppo after the first convoy escorted 951 people.
“The initial information is that the operation will continue today. Around 15 new buses are being prepared to evacuate the second group from the areas under the militants’ control,” its source said.
Meanwhile, a Turkish official told the agency that 50,000 people are expected to evacuated in the next three days.
Updated
at 2.19pm GMT
1.51pm GMT
13:51
Lord Michael Williams, former UN under secretary general and UN special coordinator for Lebanon, said events in Aleppo had left the authority of the UN “in tatters”.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme he said: “The pictures of the last several days from Aleppo, personally I found extraordinarily disturbing. They were all too redolent of the Nazi evacuation of the Jews from the Warsaw ghetto in the 1940s or Bosnia Serb evacuations of Muslim enclaves such as Srebrenica in 1995/96. To see this happening 20 years later on the eve of Christmas is deeply shocking. And is an indictment of the international system.”
Williams, now a fellow at the Chatham House thinktank, said the crisis in Aleppo was also a “terrible indictment of Obama”:
He has done nothing. When grave crimes of humanity have occurred again. They [the US] alone could have made a military intervention. The ghosts of Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya have haunted the war in Syria, but something might have been done, not so much in terms of a dramatic grand peace plan ... but an attempt to momentarily stabilise the situation around Aleppo and provide for the evacuation of women and children and the injured.”
Lord Williams on @BBCWorldatOne:Events in #Aleppo today = “gross indictment of #Obama - he’s done nothing, absolutely nothing in #Syria." pic.twitter.com/bB4SSrw75b
Updated
at 2.21pm GMT
1.32pm GMT1.32pm GMT
13:3213:32
951 leave eastern Aleppo951 leave eastern Aleppo
Almost a thousand people have left eastern Aleppo, according to a Syrian official.Almost a thousand people have left eastern Aleppo, according to a Syrian official.
A Syrian official source told Reuters that 951 people left eastern Aleppo on Thursday in the first convoy to depart from the rebel enclave. The official told Reuters that 951 people left eastern Aleppo on Thursday in the first convoy to depart from the rebel enclave. The convoy included women, children and the wounded, the official said.
The convoy included women, children and the wounded, the official said. Syrian official: 951 people left eastern Aleppo in first convoy https://t.co/YmPoSv5z2o
Updated
at 2.21pm GMT
1.24pm GMT1.24pm GMT
13:2413:24
Kareem ShaheenKareem Shaheen
A teacher in east Aleppo, who is waiting to be evacuated, said there were mixed feelings among the residents, writes Kareem Shaheem.A teacher in east Aleppo, who is waiting to be evacuated, said there were mixed feelings among the residents, writes Kareem Shaheem.
He said some were angry that they are being forced to leave and others happy that they the violence will stop. He said some locals were burning their belongings in their homes so they aren’t looted by pro-regime forces when they enter the besieged districts.He said some were angry that they are being forced to leave and others happy that they the violence will stop. He said some locals were burning their belongings in their homes so they aren’t looted by pro-regime forces when they enter the besieged districts.
Syrian officials said the first convoy to leave eastern Aleppo took out women, children and those wounded. Syrian officials said the first convoy to leave eastern Aleppo took out women, children and the wounded.
Updated
at 2.22pm GMT
1.21pm GMT1.21pm GMT
13:2113:21
The mayor of eastern Aleppo Brita Hagi Hasan says he fears 50,000 civilians in eastern Aleppo “are about to be victims of a general massacre.” The mayor of eastern Aleppo, Brita Hagi Hasan, says he fears 50,000 civilians in eastern Aleppo “are about to be victims of a general massacre”.
Speaking in Brussels at an EU summit he called for “a courageous position from the European Union, a position of sending of sending some forces to monitor the evacuation of civilians.” Speaking in Brussels at an EU summit he called for “a courageous position from the European Union, a position of sending of sending some forces to monitor the evacuation of civilians”.
“We never asked any country to go to war ... we only ask to save civilians and secure some corridors for their evacuation,” Hasan said.“We never asked any country to go to war ... we only ask to save civilians and secure some corridors for their evacuation,” Hasan said.
Speaking as civilians began to be escorted from the city he said more than 800 wounded people in eastern Aleppo need evacuating urgently and over 5,000 others who are hurt should also leave. Speaking as civilians began to be escorted from the city, he said more than 800 wounded people in eastern Aleppo need evacuating urgently and over 5,000 others who are hurt should also leave.
Hasan was invited into the EU summit, and sat alongside EU Council President Donald Tusk as he opened the meeting. Hasan was invited into the EU summit, and sat alongside the European council president Donald Tusk as he opened the meeting.
In private talks with Hasan, Tusk acknowledged that “the last thing your people in Aleppo need today is more words of sympathy.” In private talks with Hasan, Tusk acknowledged that “the last thing your people in Aleppo need today is more words of sympathy”.
“The only thing you need today is real and effective assistance,” a visibly emotional Tusk said.“The only thing you need today is real and effective assistance,” a visibly emotional Tusk said.
Updated
at 2.24pm GMT
1.11pm GMT1.11pm GMT
13:1113:11
New footage purports to show how scared Aleppo’s evacuees are of being hit in airstrikes. They run for cover as a jet passes low overhead.New footage purports to show how scared Aleppo’s evacuees are of being hit in airstrikes. They run for cover as a jet passes low overhead.
MUST WATCH As #Aleppo journo @PrimoAhmad on live update feed, loud jet noise causes panic in crowd, but cameraman shows steady hand pic.twitter.com/tMN36BcV8ZMUST WATCH As #Aleppo journo @PrimoAhmad on live update feed, loud jet noise causes panic in crowd, but cameraman shows steady hand pic.twitter.com/tMN36BcV8Z
1.07pm GMT1.07pm GMT
13:0713:07
Reuters has photographs of dozens of people, mostly men, preparing to leave rebel-held eastern Aleppo.Reuters has photographs of dozens of people, mostly men, preparing to leave rebel-held eastern Aleppo.
1.01pm GMT1.01pm GMT
13:0113:01
Al Jazeera has footage from activist/citizen journalist Zouhir al-Shimale of the first ambulances leaving eastern Aleppo with wounded civilians.Al Jazeera has footage from activist/citizen journalist Zouhir al-Shimale of the first ambulances leaving eastern Aleppo with wounded civilians.
This is what the start of evacuations looked like in East Aleppo. @ZouhirAlShimale was there when ambulances were loading the injured. pic.twitter.com/z6mb07qGO4This is what the start of evacuations looked like in East Aleppo. @ZouhirAlShimale was there when ambulances were loading the injured. pic.twitter.com/z6mb07qGO4
12.55pm GMT12.55pm GMT
12:5512:55
The ICRC has confirmed that 13 ambulances and 20 buses carrying civilians and the wounded have left the besieged east Aleppo. Some are critically wounded, it said.The ICRC has confirmed that 13 ambulances and 20 buses carrying civilians and the wounded have left the besieged east Aleppo. Some are critically wounded, it said.
HAPPENING NOW: 20 buses & 13 ambulances crossing the frontline with civilians from east #Aleppo, some critically wounded. @SYRedCrescentHAPPENING NOW: 20 buses & 13 ambulances crossing the frontline with civilians from east #Aleppo, some critically wounded. @SYRedCrescent
UpdatedUpdated
at 1.08pm GMTat 1.08pm GMT
12.53pm GMT
12:53
Activists in Aleppo say thousands of families are leaving the city as more buses and ambulances cross into government-held areas.
Thousands of families are leaving the city now with what they can carry with of their homes that they'll never come back to.#Aleppo pic.twitter.com/XWmtSQjXBt
13 ambulances and 20 buses carrying civilians and wounded leaving east aleppo now
12.42pm GMT
12:42
First wounded people leave eastern Aleppo.
The ICRC’s Robert Mardini has confirmed that the first group of 26 wounded people are being escorted out of eastern Aleppo.
First group of 26 wounded escorted by @ICRC_sy & @SARC_Aleppo are leaving now E #Aleppo on their way to western rural Aleppo.
Syrian state TV has showed footage of at least 10 ambulance and a long line of green buses leaving rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo.
first images coming from besieged #Aleppo #EvacuateAleppo الصور الأولى من تهجير أهالي #حلب pic.twitter.com/ZXkPFondak
12.35pm GMT
12:35
Russia pledges peaceful evacuation of 1,000 people
Russia told a United Nations humanitarian taskforce meeting that the evacuation of more than 1,000 people from eastern Aleppo would be quick and peaceful, Egeland also said.
Reuters quoted him saying: “Today Russia detailed how the evacuation would take place in the taskforce and they confirmed that Russians would be monitoring and that this is a swift, unbureaucratric, non-intrusive evacuation and no harm will meet these who are evacuated.”
Updated
at 12.45pm GMT
12.12pm GMT
12:12
The UN’s Jan Egeland says there may be 30,000 people left in besieged pockets of Aleppo, after 50,000 people have fled.
Speaking to reporters he also said there were three parts to the evacuation, which the UN was monitoring but had not mediated. He said:
“It is a three pronged evacuation. It is medical evacuation of wounded and sick. It’s a evacuation of vulnerable civilians and it is evacuation of fighters. This is not an agreement mediated by the United Nations. It is an agreement that has been made in direct talks between the parties to this war. We were not part of it and we were only invited this morning to monitor.”
12.06pm GMT
12:06
The ICRC and rebels are now saying that first wave of wounded has not left eastern Aleppo.
Update: ICRC and rebels now saying first wave of wounded hasn't left yet, ambulances still being loaded with wounded in east Aleppo.
update: Five green buses have crossed but doctor waiting for them tells me no one has arrived yet #aleppo
Updated
at 1.12pm GMT
12.01pm GMT
12:01
Here’s a summary of what’s happened so far:
Updated
at 12.12pm GMT
11.42am GMT
11:42
Kareem Shaheen
Rebels have scrawled graffiti messages to pro-Assad forces before fleeing eastern Aleppo.
One said: “Under every destroyed building are families buried with their dreams by Assad and his allies.”
Another says: “We will return, Aleppo. Our destroyed buildings are a witness of our resistance and your criminality”
Updated
at 11.54am GMT
11.37am GMT
11:37
Saeed Kamali Dehghan
Iran has denied reports that it blocked a ceasefire plan in Aleppo earlier this week, suggesting that Turkey was spreading fake news, writes Saeed Kamali Dehghan.
“This is not true and is seen here as a media propaganda against Iran,” said Tehran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Bahman Qasemi, according to the Fars news agency.
“Iran wants all countries involved in Syria to observe a ceasefire and prevent terrorists from re-arming. We have always been pursuing peace, stability and cleansing the country of terrorists in Syria.”
Qasemi said Tehran was in touch with the government of Syria to establish a ceasefire and facilitate medical aid. “In a situation where Aleppo is close to be be fully liberated, how could Iran create problems and prevent this?” he asked.
“Some countries in the region,” the spokesman said referring to Turkey without naming it, “are so infuriated that they have resorted to spread fake news about Iran [and its role in Syria].”
11.31am GMT
11:31
Rebels in eastern Aleppo have told Kareen Shaheen that the first wave of wounded evacuees have made it to the opposition-controlled countryside west of Aleppo.
Rebels in east Aleppo say first wave of wounded evacuees have made it to the western aleppo countryside that is under opposition control
The first group of civilians had been passed safely from eastern Aleppo to western countryside of #Aleppo
Updated
at 1.11pm GMT
11.26am GMT
11:26
Here’s Syrian state media footage showing ambulances moving into rebel held eastern Aleppo.