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| Aleppo: hopes raised that evacuation could soon resume | |
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| The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hopes to resume the evacuation of civilians and wounded people from the Syrian enclave of east Aleppo on Sunday, a spokeswoman has said. | The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hopes to resume the evacuation of civilians and wounded people from the Syrian enclave of east Aleppo on Sunday, a spokeswoman has said. |
| Thousands of people are left in Aleppo, some sleeping on the streets in freezing temperatures, after the evacuation of the rebel-held areas ground to a halt on Friday following a disagreement with pro-government forces. | Thousands of people are left in Aleppo, some sleeping on the streets in freezing temperatures, after the evacuation of the rebel-held areas ground to a halt on Friday following a disagreement with pro-government forces. |
| They were demanding the evacuation of two villages besieged by Islamist rebels. Rebels and a government official have said a new deal that was being negotiated on Saturday to complete the evacuation of rebel-held areas of east Aleppo would involve people leaving the two villages and two other besieged towns, Madaya and Zabadani, near the Lebanese border. | They were demanding the evacuation of two villages besieged by Islamist rebels. Rebels and a government official have said a new deal that was being negotiated on Saturday to complete the evacuation of rebel-held areas of east Aleppo would involve people leaving the two villages and two other besieged towns, Madaya and Zabadani, near the Lebanese border. |
| “We are getting ready to resume the evacuation of people from eastern Aleppo, hopefully this morning,” the ICRC spokeswoman Elodie Schindler told Reuters in Geneva. | “We are getting ready to resume the evacuation of people from eastern Aleppo, hopefully this morning,” the ICRC spokeswoman Elodie Schindler told Reuters in Geneva. |
| Syrian state television reported on Sunday a deal between the government and rebels to evacuate people from east Aleppo in return for the evacuation of people from al-Foua and Kefraya, the two villages besieged by Islamists. | Syrian state television reported on Sunday a deal between the government and rebels to evacuate people from east Aleppo in return for the evacuation of people from al-Foua and Kefraya, the two villages besieged by Islamists. |
| According to al-Ikhbariya TV news, about 1,200 civilians would initially be evacuated from east Aleppo and a similar number from the two villages. Once evacuees from the villages have safely arrived in government areas, Aleppo fighters and more of their family members will be allowed to leave in return for other batches of people departing al-Foua and Kefraya. | According to al-Ikhbariya TV news, about 1,200 civilians would initially be evacuated from east Aleppo and a similar number from the two villages. Once evacuees from the villages have safely arrived in government areas, Aleppo fighters and more of their family members will be allowed to leave in return for other batches of people departing al-Foua and Kefraya. |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor earlier said the rebel group formerly known as the Nusra Front had been preventing evacuation buses from entering the two besieged villages. | The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor earlier said the rebel group formerly known as the Nusra Front had been preventing evacuation buses from entering the two besieged villages. |
| The ICRC urged Syria’s warring parties on Saturday to agree quickly on a plan and provide “solid” safety guarantees for evacuees, a day after the operation stalled. | The ICRC urged Syria’s warring parties on Saturday to agree quickly on a plan and provide “solid” safety guarantees for evacuees, a day after the operation stalled. |
| Thousands of cold and scared people, including women, children, the sick and injured, remain in the enclave, the aid agency said in a statement on Saturday. | Thousands of cold and scared people, including women, children, the sick and injured, remain in the enclave, the aid agency said in a statement on Saturday. |
| Residents say the estimated 15,000 gathering in the main square in Aleppo’s Sukari district are most of the civilians left in the last rebel bastion, mainly families of fighters and other civilians and a few combatants. Every family has been given a number by organisers to allow them on buses when they arrive. | Residents say the estimated 15,000 gathering in the main square in Aleppo’s Sukari district are most of the civilians left in the last rebel bastion, mainly families of fighters and other civilians and a few combatants. Every family has been given a number by organisers to allow them on buses when they arrive. |
| “Everyone is waiting until they are evacuated they just want to escape,” said Salah al Attar, a former teacher with his five children, wife and mother. | “Everyone is waiting until they are evacuated they just want to escape,” said Salah al Attar, a former teacher with his five children, wife and mother. |
| Thousands of people were evacuated on Thursday from the last rebel bastion in Aleppo, the first to leave under a ceasefire deal that would end years of fighting for the city and mark a major victory for the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. | Thousands of people were evacuated on Thursday from the last rebel bastion in Aleppo, the first to leave under a ceasefire deal that would end years of fighting for the city and mark a major victory for the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. |
| But the talks are proving difficult. Negotiations between pro-government and opposition forces, as well as their international backers, were believed to still be going on Sunday to finalise how the evacuations would take place and how many people would leave. It was not immediately clear if fighters were also being evacuated. | But the talks are proving difficult. Negotiations between pro-government and opposition forces, as well as their international backers, were believed to still be going on Sunday to finalise how the evacuations would take place and how many people would leave. It was not immediately clear if fighters were also being evacuated. |
| A senior Syrian rebel official from the powerful Ahrar al-Sham group involved in the talks on Saturday said the deal was being held up by Iran and its allied Shia militias, which were insisting people be allowed to leave the two villages before allowing the Aleppo evacuation to proceed. | A senior Syrian rebel official from the powerful Ahrar al-Sham group involved in the talks on Saturday said the deal was being held up by Iran and its allied Shia militias, which were insisting people be allowed to leave the two villages before allowing the Aleppo evacuation to proceed. |
| Aleppo had been divided between government and rebel areas in the nearly six-year-long war, but a lightning advance by the Syrian army and its allies began in mid-November following months of intense air strikes, forcing the insurgents out of most of the rebel-held territory within a matter of weeks. | Aleppo had been divided between government and rebel areas in the nearly six-year-long war, but a lightning advance by the Syrian army and its allies began in mid-November following months of intense air strikes, forcing the insurgents out of most of the rebel-held territory within a matter of weeks. |
| The United Nations security council is due to vote on Sunday on a French-drafted resolution aimed at ensuring that UN officials can monitor evacuations from Aleppo and the protection of civilians who remain. | The United Nations security council is due to vote on Sunday on a French-drafted resolution aimed at ensuring that UN officials can monitor evacuations from Aleppo and the protection of civilians who remain. |
| The draft text also “emphasises that the evacuations of civilians must be voluntary and to final destinations of their choice, and protection must be provided to all civilians who choose or who have been forced to be evacuated and those who opt to remain in their homes”. | The draft text also “emphasises that the evacuations of civilians must be voluntary and to final destinations of their choice, and protection must be provided to all civilians who choose or who have been forced to be evacuated and those who opt to remain in their homes”. |
| It was not immediately clear how Russia would vote on the French-drafted resolution. Before the draft was circulated to the council, the Russian UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said on Friday: “If it is a sensible initiative and we see it on paper, why not entertain this initiative?” | It was not immediately clear how Russia would vote on the French-drafted resolution. Before the draft was circulated to the council, the Russian UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said on Friday: “If it is a sensible initiative and we see it on paper, why not entertain this initiative?” |
| Russia, an ally of Damascus that has provided military backing to Assad’s troops, has vetoed six security council resolutions on Syria since the conflict started in 2011. China joined Moscow in vetoing five resolutions. | Russia, an ally of Damascus that has provided military backing to Assad’s troops, has vetoed six security council resolutions on Syria since the conflict started in 2011. China joined Moscow in vetoing five resolutions. |