Russia “currently not considering” fresh truce in Aleppo

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Russia “currently not considering” fresh truce in Aleppo

Catherine Hardy

 

 

• Russia currently not considering a new truce
• Government forces reportedly capture a strategic hilltop
• At least 16 civilians die in attacks on the province of Idlib

 

Russia says it is not currently considering a new truce in the Syrian city of Aleppo

 

MOSCCOW: -- Moscow announced a unilateral, 11-hour ceasefire last Thursday and promised safe-passage from the city for civilians, opposition fighters and injured people.

 

The cessation was later extended for a further two days.

 

“The question of renewing the humanitarian pause is not relevant now,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has told the Interfax news agency.

 

For the ceasefire to be reinstated, “our opponents must ensure appropriate behaviour by the anti-government groups that in particular sabotaged the medical evacuation that was intended during the humanitarian pause,” he continued.

 

Fighting resumed in Aleppo on Saturday night, after the lull meant to allow rebels and civilians to leave the eastern districts expired without anyone leaving.
 

Bazo

 

Syrian state media and opposition activists say government forces and their allies have captured a strategic high point in Aleppo.

 

The Sana news agency says government troops have taken the hilltop of Bazo on the southern edge of the city.

 

Sana says rebels shelled government-held neighbourhoods, killing one person and wounding seven.

 

Footage released on Monday by the government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media showed intense fighting allegedly in the Bazo area.

 

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Bazo was taken amid heavy bombardment.

 

Idlib

 

16 civilians, including three children, were killed on Monday in air raids and rocket attacks in the province of Idlib.

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says seven people, including two women and a child, died in an air strike on the town of Khan Cheikhoun in the south of the region.

 

Seven other people, including four women and four children, were killed in attacks on Kafer Takharim in the north of the province, the Observatory says.

 

Rescuers are searching through the rubble at both sites to try and find survivors.

 

“My sister’s house was here, she and her daughter are now dead, along with another family,” said one man.

 

 

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