'Dozens of Families' Leave Besieged Aleppo
Dozens of families left the besieged opposition-held east of Syria's Aleppo city on Saturday through a "humanitarian corridor" to the government-held west, Syria's official SANA news agency reported.
The evacuations came 48 hours after regime ally Russia announced that three humanitarian passages would be opened to allow civilians and surrendering fighters to cross from the besieged rebel-held districts of the city to government territory.
"This morning dozens of families left via the corridors identified... to allow the exit of citizens besieged by terrorist groups in the eastern neighborhoods," SANA reported.
"They were welcomed by members of the army and taken by bus to temporary shelters," it added.
It also said "a number" of women over the age of 40 had left the rebel-held east and had been taken to shelters.
The agency carried photos showing dozens of people, mostly women and children, walking past soldiers and boarding buses.
State television also broadcast footage it said showed residents crossing from the east to the west.
SANA added that "armed men from eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo" had turned themselves in to army soldiers in Salaheddin district, without giving figures or showing pictures of the incident.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, confirmed that "a number" of civilians had left the east of the city through a passage in the Salaheddin neighborhood.
It had no exact figures for the number of people who had evacuated.
Aleppo has been roughly divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012, and the frontline runs through several neighborhoods, including Salaheddin.
The rebel-held side of the city has been effectively under government siege since July 7, when regime forces advanced to within firing range of the only remaining supply route to opposition neighbourhoods.
The encirclement has led to food shortages and spiraling prices in the east, with fears of a humanitarian crisis for the estimated 250,000 still living there.
over 7 years
How is it ethnic cleansing when the majority of the people in Assads "Alawistan" are Sunni?
over 7 years
unfortunately in other areas terrorists want to keep the civilians as hostages and human shields
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/syria-rebels-prevent-civilians-leaving-aleppo-monitor
"Since they were established “around 12 people managed to use the Bustan al-Qasr corridor before rebel groups reinforced security measures and prevented families from approaching the corridors,” Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said."
over 7 years
lol do you think your pathetic insults affect me? it only shows the lowliness of your lot
over 7 years
you're right bigjohn, but sometimes it's hard not to laugh in his face ;) what a bitter life he must have lol
over 7 years
OMG ! OMG ! OMG!
Even on an article regarding families escaping besieged Aleppo, I find you @mowaten spamming, trolling, and terrorizing other posters. What kind of person are you? New evidence surfaces by the minute that you are a paid poster but the question remains who pays you and for what exact purpose? Is it the Iranian embassy, is it the revolutionary guard, is it the syrian intelligence or the ex-KGB? These questions must be answered by you and NOW!
over 7 years
it's ironic that mowaten is now quoting the Syrian observatory.... pathetic!
over 7 years
Leave as much as you like, but stay away from Lebanon.
And you cowards said that Assad was doing ethnic cleansing in Aleppo.
Not very likely.