Syrian army asks rebels to allow civilians leave Aleppo

The Syrian army on Tuesday renewed calls on the rebels to allow the civilians to leave rebel-held areas in the northern city of Aleppo, according to state news agency SANA.

Citing a statement, Xinhua reported that the general-command of the Syrian army urged the rebels in eastern Aleppo to allow the civilians who want to leave rebel-held areas to evacuate and to open the warehouses of food for the civilians in that area.

The army stressed that the Syrian government allows the evacuation of the wounded and ill out of eastern Aleppo toward the government-controlled part, west of Aleppo, through passageways the government has previously identified.

This comes amid news that the civilians in eastern Aleppo have recently attacked warehouses containing food stuffs under the rebel control as a result of the tough situation in eastern Aleppo.

Activists also said that all hospitals in rebel-held areas in Aleppo city have been rendered out of service as a result of the intense shelling by the government forces.

Meanwhile, the Syrian army urged the civilians to cooperate with them and avoid venturing out in the streets and to stay away from the rebel positions.

The statement also encouraged the rebels to take the chance of the presidential pardon by laying down their weapons and surrendering themselves in exchange for an amnesty.

According to a source, Syrian aircrafts dropped leaflets on eastern Aleppo on Tuesday, urging the rebels to surrender.

--IANS

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