Russian officials on Thursday said the onslaught by the Syrian government forces in eastern Aleppo was halted to evacuate the stranded civilians in the region. However, the residents in the region said that fighting in the rebel-held areas were continuing even after a day of intensive bombardment by the Syrian forces.
Rebels have engaged in years-long battle with the Syrian government and their Russian allies in eastern Aleppo and want to topple the government. The recent onslaught on the rebels by the Syrian forces in the region has left more than 10,000 civilians displaced in the region, leaving many of them without shelter and food. Lavrov, however, did not reveal the specifics of the evacuation process in eastern Aleppo.
Residents said that even after the authorities claimed a halt in bombardment, residents could still hear drones and tank fire in the region. They also said that they had not received any offer of evacuation yet and were afraid that the Syrian forces were closing on the neighborhoods still held by the rebels. According to rescue workers, 150 airstrikes in the area on Wednesday killed at least 50 people which left the citizens in a state of panic, the New York Times reported. The residents said that they wanted to be informed of any chances to be rescued from the ongoing offensive.
The United Nations envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said that he could not verify whether the combat in the region had been halted or whether civilians were asked to evacuate in the meantime. Mistura also said that he urged the government authorities to let the stranded civilians in the region leave safely with protection from the United Nations staff.
A UN Security Council meeting was soon organised after de Mistura's comments where the envoy said that the government forces could capture the remaining regions of the rebel-held Aleppo by the end of this year and said that the rebels should be allowed to leave the region peacefully.
