Thu Oct 20, 2016 16:54:45
The Syrian military called on residents of besieged rebel-held districts in the city of Aleppo to evacuate and for gunmen to lay down their weapons as the humanitarian pause announced by Russia takes effect.
Al-Mayadeen TV, a Beirut-based channel, broadcast on Thursday around an hour after the pause began from near one of the designated safe passages.
Shots were heard and smoke said to be caused by a shell exploding rose into the sky; meanwhile buses were waiting ready for residents to emerge.
The Syrian government military broadcast calls for residents to let the sick and wounded out first, and urging fighters to lay down their guns.
The message: “The battle for returning Aleppo to the nation’s fold is in its last phases. There is no point in continuing the fight.”
Moscow says the three-day pause is to allow civilians and militants safe passage out of the eastern districts of the city - under a tight siege since July and a punishing bombing campaign since mid-September.
S/SH 11
string(1951) "[{"id":"1874040","sort":"3646516","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/10/18/alalam_636123875699318719_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"URGENT: Russian DM Says Russia, Syria Halt Airstrikes on Aleppo"} ,{"id":"1874053","sort":"3646517","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/10/18/alalam_636123888282164446_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Al-Nusra Must Either Leave Aleppo or be Defeated: Russia’s UN Envoy"} ,{"id":"1874055","sort":"3646515","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/10/18/alalam_636123894218738044_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Residents Attempting to Leave Eastern Aleppo Executed by Terrorists"} ,{"id":"1874069","sort":"3646514","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/10/18/alalam_636123909397165829_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Syrian Army Kills Nearly 80 Terrorists in Attacks in Aleppo City"} ,{"id":"1874224","sort":"3646513","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/10/18/alalam_636124112348166775_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Foreign-Backed Terrorists Refuse Withdrawal from Syria's Aleppo"} ,{"id":"1874455","sort":"3646512","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/10/19/alalam_636124697894238873_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Russia Halts Aleppo Air Strikes Ahead of 8-H Truce for Terrorists’ Withdrawal"} ,{"id":"1874494","sort":"3646511","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/10/19/alalam_636124737633810889_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"6 killed in Airstrike on Village in Aleppo Province, Belgian F-16 Jets in Area"} ,{"id":"1874686","sort":"3646510","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/10/19/alalam_636125006572413423_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Erdogan, Putin Agree to Exit of Nusra Terrorists from Aleppo: Saudi Paper"} ,{"id":"1874704","sort":"3646509","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/10/19/alalam_636125034173285068_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Russia Extends Planned Aleppo Truce to 11 Hours: Ministry"} ,{"id":"1875015","sort":"3646508","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2016/10/20/alalam_636125660346859001_25f_4x3.mp4","title":"Humanitarian Corridors in Syria’s Aleppo Shelled by Militants as Truce Begins + VIDEO"} ]"