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Syrian opposition reject humanitarian corridors as a ploy to empty Aleppo

The military continued to consolidate its grip Thursday, seizing a district on the northern edge of the city. He said he had no indication that all involved groups had agreed to the plan.

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Russian Federation on Thursday said its forces and those of the Syrian government would open humanitarian corridors outside Aleppo and offer a way-out for fighters wanting to surrender. “The residents of Aleppo must be able to stay home in security and receive all the aid they need”, said ministry spokesman Romain Nadal.

In a statement on Thursday, OBrien re-emphasized the dire nature of the situation in Aleppo and reiterated his demand for safe, regular and sustained access to the quarter of a million people trapped behind the front lines, and stressed that all options must be considered.

But Khandakani, formerly a lawyer who was detained for a month in the early days of the protests against the Syrian government, said he was anxious about his family. Clearly Syria intends to capture the al-Qaeda-held districts in Aleppo, and offering civilians a safe passage out is the exact same tactic the United States has used time and again, with the USA and Iraq doing literally the exact same thing in Fallujah and Ramadi.

The UN says around 250,000 people have been trapped in Aleppo’s eastern districts since July 17 when pro-regime forces surrounded the area.

Entrances to the humanitarian corridors from the opposition-held areas were on Friday effectively shut, according to Abdel-Rahman.

He also questioned whether the desperate population would even use corridors created by Russian Federation and Syria.

“Most of the men – everyone here – is wanted by the regime”, said Haj. The group said the hospital was damaged and there were initial reports of casualties.

Shoigu also offered militants the chance to surrender, saying Russian Federation had urged the Syrian government to pardon those who have not committed serious crimes.

Syrian state media are reporting that government forces have taken another neighborhood from rebels in the contested northern city of Aleppo. Homs, with a total population of 200,000, returned nearly fully to government control in December following a three-year siege.

Earlier this month, al-Assad’s forces blocked Castello Road, the only major supply route into rebel-held eastern Aleppo, raising fears about a humanitarian disaster there.

U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, meanwhile, urged Russian Federation to let the United Nations take charge of the corridors. The Syrian opposition called it a euphemism for forced displacement of the inhabitants, which it said would be a war crime.

Activists said that IS militants recaptured the nearby village of al-Bouweir on Thursday and killed 24 civilians.

More than 280,000 have been killed and millions displaced in Syria’s five-year conflict.

This has impacted bread production. Be clear – these “corridors” are not for getting aid in, but driving people out.

Aid agencies and analysts said the humanitarian corridors must be used to send desperately needed supplies to the besieged areas which has not received any medical aid since July 7.

Moscow proposed the establishment of the escape routes for civilians and fighters who want to hand over their weapons. They are killing us every day. “Slaughtering us, starving us, and besieging civilians”, he said, speaking from the city via Skype.

According to a report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced almost half of the country’s pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.

The governor of Syria’s Aleppo province says on state TV that three crossings have opened for residents of the besieged parts of the city of Aleppo.

“When it’s gone, it’s gone”, he said.

“I am still waiting for a miracle”.

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“We have repeatedly called on the warring parties to reconcile, but every time, the militants violated the cessation of hostilities, shelled villages, attacked the positions of government troops”, he said.

Russia announces aid operation for Syria's besieged Aleppo