Syrian army warns opposition fighters to leave eastern Aleppo

Syria’s army has offered those who wish to leave Aleppo the opportunity to do so or risk an “inevitable fate”.

A statement issued late yesterday said the army had cut off the opposition fighters’ supply lines into the northern city and that it had accurate information about the location of all their positions and arms stores. It urged all fighters to lay down their arms and leave.

Earlier yesterday, the army said it was reducing its airstrikes and shelling of rebel-held eastern Aleppo to alleviate the humanitarian situation and allow people to depart for safer areas if they wanted to do so.

The army, backed by Russia’s air force, began an offensive against eastern Aleppo on 19 September after the collapse of a week-long truce. The offensive began with one of the war’s most intense bombardments.

The scale of destruction in Aleppo since the offensive began has prompted mounting international concern and caused the US to break talks with Russia on attempting to renew a ceasefire.