Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday his forces are taking part in "a large-scale humanitarian operation" in Aleppo to help residents "who had become hostages of terrorists."
Three corridors are being established for the civilians to leave after the US military did not give information on the location of what it calls “moderate” militants in the city, he said.
Russia had asked the US to give coordinates of the so-called Free Syrian Army to spare them from attacks on al-Nusra Front militants in Syria’s once largest city.
Shoigu said the Russian military would therefore open a fourth corridor for militants who lay down their weapons in the north of the city and near the Castello road.
The humanitarian operation comes a day after the Syrian army cut off all supply routes through the Castello road used by militants into eastern Aleppo.
The government air-dropped leaflets there, asking residents to cooperate with the army and calling on militants to surrender. President Bashar al-Assad said he would pardon the militants who turned in their weapons.
Syrian government forces and allied troops have been tightening the noose on the main militant enclave in Aleppo since last week, urging terrorists there to surrender, Press TV reported.
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