8,500 Civilians Evacuated from East Aleppo
Local Editor
Russia said that around 8,500 civilians have been evacuated from the militant-held eastern side of Aleppo via humanitarian corridors, amid ongoing clean-up operations in the northwestern Syrian city.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that there were 2,934 children among those evacuated from the occupied parts of Aleppo over the past 24 hours.
The ministry added that the Russian military's sappers and bomb disposal experts were active clearing the areas freed from militant control of mines and unexploded devices.
So far, the experts had cleared some 60,000 square meters, and restored the central water pumping station, two power plants, two schools and two mosques in the city.
Earlier on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Syrian forces had paused active military operations in eastern Aleppo amid a large effort to secure the exit of civilians from violence-hit areas.
"Combat operations by the Syrian Army in eastern Aleppo have been suspended because the largest operation of evacuation of civilians from East Aleppo is being carried out - a column of about 8,000 people, it's a tremendous operation," he said.
Meanwhile, the Syrian military, which is in control of the western part of the city, has been fighting to wrest back its militant-held east. So far it has reclaimed some 85 percent of the eastern part.
Damascus called on the militants holed up in Aleppo's east to lay down arms and surrender.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered for those militants choosing to stop fighting to be granted amnesty.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
