The Syrian government has established control over the Eastern part of Aleppo, Russia's Ambassador Vitaly Churkin made the statement at the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
"We received information that hostilities in the East of Aleppo stopped," Churkin said, according to a statement provided by the United Nations. "Thus, there is no question of cessation of military operations, or humanitarian operations. The Syrian government has established control over the Eastern part of Aleppo, so now it's time for practical humanitarian initiatives."
At the same time, sources in Aleppo said a ceasefire and evacuation agreement was reached in the besieged Eastern part of the city. A journalist and resident of Karam al-Masri, who is in Aleppo, told CNN on Tuesday that residents received messages on a cell phone from rebel leaders, announcing the cease-fire. Media Center has published on his page in Facebook on Tuesday that the cease-fire was announced in Aleppo "in preparation for the evacuation of civilians from besieged areas through safe passages."
The agreement on a ceasefire and the evacuation was achieved with the "mediation of Turkey," the commander of an Islamist rebel group Ahrar al-sham told CNN, adding that civilians will begin evacuations Eastern part of the city on Wednesday morning local time. The first group of civilians will consist of 70 of the wounded and their families - a total of 150 people.
The Ministry of foreign Affairs of Turkey confirmed that the negotiations between the rebels in the East of Aleppo, and the Russian military resulted in a deal on a cease-fire. In accordance with the agreement, civilians, and then the opposition fighters would be evacuated in the neighbouring Idlib, said the Ministry. Turkey stated that its diplomats worked to create a humanitarian corridor to Aleppo in a few weeks, and that their efforts "come to fruition in the last days."
The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to resolve the situation. Later, Staffan de Mistura, UN special envoy to Syria, said he was informed by the Russian Ambassador that a peace agreement had been concluded about Aleppo.
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