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Russian Federation to open 4 more humanitarian corridors out of Syria’ Aleppo

The Syrian government also reported that civilians were returning to the northern area of Bani Zeid, a day after Syrian government forces took control.

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State television also broadcast footage it said showed residents crossing from the east to the west.

Earlier this week, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad offered an amnesty to militants who lay down their arms and surrender to authorities in the next three months.

The Local Coordination Committees, a Syrian opposition monitoring group, denied that civilians and fighters were heading to government areas of the city.

Russia’s humanitarian plan for up to 300,000 civilians besieged in the Syrian city of Aleppo should be improved, UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, said on Friday, suggesting Moscow should consider handing over responsibility for any evacuation to the United Nations.

The civilians later boarded buses where they were taken to temporary shelters, state news agency Sana said.

It also reported clashes in the two neighbourhoods, saying the government was attempting to forestall any rebel bid to bring in reinforcements to try to break the regime siege.

According to Tasnim dispatches, the first batch of civilians, including a huge number of women and children, left Aleppo from the eastern neighborhoods of the city.

Lt-Gen Sergei Chvarkov told the state-owned Russian news channel Rossiya 24 that four more corridors would be opened up.

The move was welcomed cautiously by the United Nations, the USA and some aid agencies.

Syrian activists say the Islamic State group has captured a village in northern Syria from a US -backed, Kurdish-led fighters and killed 24 civilians there.

“We are taking a look at Russia’s announcement of humanitarian corridors, but given their record on this, we are skeptical to say the least”, said White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz at a briefing.

The evacuation came a day after U.N. special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura urged Russian Federation to leave the creation of humanitarian corridors around Aleppo to the United Nations and its partners.

They have the experience; thats our job, de Mistura stated.

“The U.N. and the humanitarian partners. have experience”.

The United States is trying to determine whether a Russian plan for a humanitarian operation in Syria is honest, Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday, adding that if it proves a “ruse” it could ruin cooperation between Moscow and Washington.

Pro-regime forces have surrounded Aleppo’s eastern districts since July 17, leaving an estimated 250,000 trapped without reliable access to food or medical aid.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitoring body based in the United Kingdom, confirmed that some people had left east Aleppo through a safe corridor but gave no figures.

“The situation for people trapped in eastern Aleppo remains of the gravest concern”, said Stephen O’Brien, noting that he is aware of the measures proposed today by the Russian Federation to set up humanitarian corridors.

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The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said coalition airstrikes hit the IS-held village of Al-Ghandour near the Turkish border late Thursday. “The brutal message to our people is – “leave or starve”, HNC member Bassma Kodmani said.

Russia says opening humanitarian corridors around Aleppo