{"id":277360,"date":"2016-12-16T14:35:27","date_gmt":"2016-12-16T14:35:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=277360"},"modified":"2016-12-16T14:35:27","modified_gmt":"2016-12-16T14:35:27","slug":"syria-suspends-aleppo-evacuations-blaming-rebels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/12\/syria-suspends-aleppo-evacuations-blaming-rebels\/","title":{"rendered":"Syria suspends Aleppo evacuations, blaming rebels"},"content":{"rendered":"
The evacuation of civilians and rebel fighters from eastern Aleppo in Syria has come to a halt.<\/p>\n
Russia, which backs the Syrian government, says the operation to remove fighters and their families from the area is “complete”.<\/p>\n
But a Syrian military source told AFP news agency the evacuation had only been “suspended”.<\/p>\n
At least 6,000 people have left the city since Thursday but the UN says at least 50,000 are still trapped.<\/p>\n
Pro-government forces have taken nearly all rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo.<\/p>\n
A deal was reached earlier this week to allow people to leave the besieged neighbourhoods and travel to rebel-held areas in Idlib province.<\/p>\n
But violence appeared to resume on Friday, with Russia saying the Syrian army had been “liquidating the last isolated pockets of resistance”.<\/p>\n
Four years of vicious fighting in eastern Aleppo have left thousands dead, destroyed hospitals and wiped out food supplies.<\/p>\n