In a “large-scale humanitarian operation”, three relief corridors would be set up to distribute food and medical aid to civilians, and provide them – along with rebels who chose to surrender – the opportunity to leave the city, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said.
Advertisement
There are only 31 doctors and 3 dentists left in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, home to about 300,000 civilians, said Dr. Tawfik Chamaa, of the Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organisations (UOSSM).
President Bashar al-Assad has also offered amnesty for rebels who surrender to authorities in the next three months, the official SANA news agency reported.
The Syrian army said on Wednesday it had dropped thousands of leaflets over opposition-held Aleppo districts, asking residents to cooperate with the military and calling on fighters to surrender.
Over the last two weeks, eight terrorist attacks were carried out at positions of Syrian government forces with participation of 21 suicide bombers who used three infantry fighting vehicles and 12 auto bombs, which killed over 500 people and injured around 2,000 more, Shoigu noted.
Syrian government troops and allied fighters on Thursday recaptured Bani Zaid in Aleppo city from the rebels.
At the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said in a tweet that she was given a copy of a “chilling letter” that was being distributed to civilians who are trapped in opposition-held parts of eastern Aleppo.
“Without urgent humanitarian access food supplies are expected to run out over the next few weeks and Aleppo might well turn into the largest humanitarian tragedy of this conflict which has already brought so much suffering”.
All warring sides must allow aid agencies access to assess civilian needs and ensure that families who choose to leave are kept together, the aid agency said in a statement reacting to Russia’s plan for a humanitarian corridor.
The offer coincides with a government offensive that has succeeded in completely encircling rebels in the eastern part of the city of Aleppo.
There have been several presidential amnesty offers in recent years. “These terrorist attacks killed over 500 people and injured around 2,000 more”, he said.
“We direct the leadership of Al Nusra Front to go ahead with what preserves the good of Islam and the Muslims, and protects the jihad of the Syrian people”, Ahmed Hassan Abu al-Khayr said in an audio message released online by Al Nusra. A regime victory there would be a major, potentially knockout, blow to the opposition and signal a turning point in five-year civil war.
Media reports suggest that Russian Federation has proposed establishing several so-called “exit corridors” that would allow for the distribution of food, as well as provide an opportunity for civilians to flee the city. The latest offer like those before it is largely seen by opposition fighters as a publicity stunt and psychological warfare against the rebels.
Separately, Shoigu also said that Moscow is sending a top general and experts to Geneva at the request of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss the Aleppo crisis.
Advertisement
Be proactive – Use the “Flag as Inappropriate” link at the upper right corner of each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
