Syrian troops strengthened their hold over Aleppo on Friday after retaking full control of the city, as residents anxious to return to their homes moved through its ruined streets.

The army announced on Thursday it had recaptured the former rebel stronghold of east Aleppo following a landmark evacuation deal that saw thousands of opposition fighters and residents bussed out.

It was the biggest victory for President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s forces in nearly six years of civil war and a major win for his foreign backers, with key ally Russia hailing the &quot;very important&quot; step.

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Syrians celebrate in Aleppo after the army said it has retaken full control of the country&#39;s second city. (AFP)
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Braving the cold, war-weary residents crossed districts that had become dangerous front lines, eager to return to neighbourhoods they had not seen in years.

An AFP correspondent saw civilians wrapped in coats trekking through the cold, some rolling their belongings on wheelbarrows.

&quot;I came to check on my house, which I haven&#39;t seen in five years,&quot; resident Khaled al-Masri said. &quot;I really hope my home wasn&#39;t badly damaged.&quot;

The evacuation operation ended more than four years of fierce fighting in Aleppo, which had been divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east since 2012.

Opposition forces still control an area west of Aleppo and at least two civilians were killed Friday in the first rebel rocket fire on the city since it fell under government control, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Seven civilians were also wounded in the fire on the Al-Hamdaniyeh district, the Britain-based monitor said, while state news agency SANA reported three killed.

&#39;Nothing left&#39;

The evacuation agreement was brokered by rebel backer Turkey and regime supporter Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Assad Friday to congratulate him on the &quot;liberation&quot; of Aleppo, the Kremlin said.

&quot;This success was possible thanks to mutual efforts of all who came together in the fight with international terrorism in Syria,&quot; it said.

Earlier, Putin hailed Aleppo&#39;s recapture, calling it a &quot;very important part of the normalisation in Syria&quot;, saying the next step would be &quot;conclusion of a ceasefire agreement on all of Syria&#39;s territory&quot;.

The Kremlin also announced Putin had signed an order to expand Russia&#39;s naval facility in the Syrian city of Tartus, while Russian military police had been despatched to recaptured parts of Aleppo.

&quot;We sent in a battalion of military police yesterday evening to maintain order in the liberated territories,&quot; Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

On Friday morning, government fighters moved into Ansari, Al-Mashhad, and other neighbourhoods they had not entered since mid-2012.

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Heavy snowfall slowed the evacuation of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from eastern Aleppo. (AFP)
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They searched for improvised explosive devices and mines, clearing buildings to prepare the way for civilians to return, the Observatory said. As they finished sweeping through the main streets, soldiers moved into the smaller alleyways to check for bombs, an AFP correspondent in one district said.

In Bustan al-Qasr, a heavily damaged neighbourhood near Aleppo&#39;s famed Old City, bulldozers removed rubble from the streets.

As the army moved through Al-Mayssar district, Umm Abdo, 42, said she had found her former home but it had been destroyed.

&quot;There&#39;s nothing left... but houses can be rebuilt,&quot; she said. Syria&#39;s war transformed Aleppo from the country&#39;s industrial hub to a worldwide symbol of bloodshed and devastation.

The army on Thursday announced &quot;the return of security to Aleppo after its release from terrorism and terrorists&quot;.

&#39;Toughest battles&#39;

The regime victory came after state television said the last convoy of four buses carrying rebels and civilians had left east Aleppo and arrived in the government-controlled Ramussa district south of the city.

The evacuation deal, overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Red Crescent, put an end to a month-long offensive waged on Aleppo&#39;s east by pro-government forces.

The assault was backed by pro-government militia, including powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah.

In a televised speech on Friday, Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah said the army&#39;s win in Aleppo put an end to any hopes Assad&#39;s regime would collapse.

&quot;After Aleppo, one can comfortably say that the goal of regime downfall has failed,&quot; Nasrallah said.

He described the fight for Aleppo as &quot;one of the toughest battles that the region has seen in years.&quot;

The ICRC said the evacuation operation had seen 35,000 people bussed out of Aleppo and another 1,200 evacuated from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite-majority towns in north-west Syria besieged by rebels.

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Members of the Saint Elias Cathedral committee inspect the damage inside east Aleppo&#39;s crumbling church. (AFP)
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Nearly six years in, the conflict has killed more than 310,000 people and displaced half of Syria&#39;s pre-war population.

As well as a major strategic gain for Assad, the army&#39;s win in Aleppo has put the spotlight on the role of powerbrokers Russia, Iran and Turkey, which agreed this week to guarantee new peace talks and backed expanding a ceasefire.

Repeated attempts at peace for Syria have failed, but UN envoy Staffan de Mistura has said he hopes to convene fresh talks in Geneva in February.

In other violence, the Islamic State group killed 27 Syrian soldiers and allied militiamen in a series of attacks near the ancient city of Palmyra in the past 24 hours, the Observatory said.

(AFP)

The army announced on Thursday it had recaptured the former rebel stronghold of east Aleppo

Syrian troops strengthened their hold over Aleppo on Friday after retaking full control of the city, as residents anxious to return to their homes moved through its ruined streets. The army announced on Thursday it had recaptured the former rebel stronghold of east Aleppo following a landmark evacuation deal that saw thousands of opposition fighters and residents bussed out. It was the biggest victory for President Bashar al-Assad's forces in nearly six years of civil war and a major win for his foreign backers, with key ally Russia hailing the "very important" step. Syrians celebrate in Aleppo after the army said it has retaken full control of the country's second city. (AFP) × Braving the cold, war-weary residents crossed districts that had become dangerous front lines, eager to return to neighbourhoods they had not seen in years. An AFP correspondent saw civilians wrapped in coats trekking through the cold, some rolling their belongings on wheelbarrows. "I came to check on my house, which I haven't seen in five years," resident Khaled al-Masri said. "I really hope my home wasn't badly damaged." The evacuation operation ended more than four years of fierce fighting in Aleppo, which had been divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east since 2012. Opposition forces still control an area west of Aleppo and at least two civilians were killed Friday in the first rebel rocket fire on the city since it fell under government control, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Seven civilians were also wounded in the fire on the Al-Hamdaniyeh district, the Britain-based monitor said, while state news agency SANA reported three killed. 'Nothing left' The evacuation agreement was brokered by rebel backer Turkey and regime supporter Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Assad Friday to congratulate him on the "liberation" of Aleppo, the Kremlin said. "This success was possible thanks to mutual efforts of all who came together in the fight with international terrorism in Syria," it said. Earlier, Putin hailed Aleppo's recapture, calling it a "very important part of the normalisation in Syria", saying the next step would be "conclusion of a ceasefire agreement on all of Syria's territory". The Kremlin also announced Putin had signed an order to expand Russia's naval facility in the Syrian city of Tartus, while Russian military police had been despatched to recaptured parts of Aleppo. "We sent in a battalion of military police yesterday evening to maintain order in the liberated territories," Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said. On Friday morning, government fighters moved into Ansari, Al-Mashhad, and other neighbourhoods they had not entered since mid-2012. Heavy snowfall slowed the evacuation of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters from eastern Aleppo. (AFP) × They searched for improvised explosive devices and mines, clearing buildings to prepare the way for civilians to return, the Observatory said. As they finished sweeping through the main streets, soldiers moved into the smaller alleyways to check for bombs, an AFP correspondent in one district said. In Bustan al-Qasr, a heavily damaged neighbourhood near Aleppo's famed Old City, bulldozers removed rubble from the streets. As the army moved through Al-Mayssar district, Umm Abdo, 42, said she had found her former home but it had been destroyed. "There's nothing left... but houses can be rebuilt," she said. Syria's war transformed Aleppo from the country's industrial hub to a worldwide symbol of bloodshed and devastation. The army on Thursday announced "the return of security to Aleppo after its release from terrorism and terrorists". 'Toughest battles' The regime victory came after state television said the last convoy of four buses carrying rebels and civilians had left east Aleppo and arrived in the government-controlled Ramussa district south of the city. The evacuation deal, overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Red Crescent, put an end to a month-long offensive waged on Aleppo's east by pro-government forces. The assault was backed by pro-government militia, including powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah. In a televised speech on Friday, Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah said the army's win in Aleppo put an end to any hopes Assad's regime would collapse. "After Aleppo, one can comfortably say that the goal of regime downfall has failed," Nasrallah said. He described the fight for Aleppo as "one of the toughest battles that the region has seen in years." The ICRC said the evacuation operation had seen 35,000 people bussed out of Aleppo and another 1,200 evacuated from Fuaa and Kafraya, two Shiite-majority towns in north-west Syria besieged by rebels. Members of the Saint Elias Cathedral committee inspect the damage inside east Aleppo's crumbling church. (AFP) × Nearly six years in, the conflict has killed more than 310,000 people and displaced half of Syria's pre-war population. As well as a major strategic gain for Assad, the army's win in Aleppo has put the spotlight on the role of powerbrokers Russia, Iran and Turkey, which agreed this week to guarantee new peace talks and backed expanding a ceasefire. Repeated attempts at peace for Syria have failed, but UN envoy Staffan de Mistura has said he hopes to convene fresh talks in Geneva in February. In other violence, the Islamic State group killed 27 Syrian soldiers and allied militiamen in a series of attacks near the ancient city of Palmyra in the past 24 hours, the Observatory said. (AFP)

Syria army, civilians reclaim ruined Aleppo streets

Rebel resistance in the Syrian city of Aleppo ended on Tuesday after years of fighting and months of bitter siege and bombardment that culminated in a bloody retreat, as insurgents agreed to withdraw in a ceasefire.

The battle of Aleppo, one of the worst of a civil war that has drawn in global and regional powers, has ended with victory for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his military coalition of Russia, Iran and regional Shi&#39;ite militias.

For rebels, their expected departure with light weapons starting on Wednesday morning for opposition-held regions west of the city is a crushing blow to their hopes of ousting Assad after revolting against him during the 2011 Arab uprisings.

However, the war will still be far from over, with insurgents retaining major strongholds elsewhere in Syria, and the jihadist Islamic State group holding swathes of the east and recapturing the ancient city of Palmyra this week.

&quot;Over the last hour we have received information that the military activities in east Aleppo have stopped, it has stopped,&quot; Russian UN&nbsp;Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told a heated UN&nbsp;Security Council meeting. &quot;The Syrian government has established control over east Aleppo.&quot;

Rebel officials said fighting would end on Tuesday night and a source in the pro-Assad military alliance said the evacuation of fighters would begin at around dawn on Wednesday. A Reuters reporter in Aleppo said late on Tuesday that the booms of the bombardment could no longer be heard.

Fighters and their families, along with civilians who have thrown in their lot with the rebels, will have until Wednesday evening to quit the city, a Turkish government source said. The ceasefire was negotiated by Turkey and Russia, without US&nbsp;involvement.

A commander with the Jabha Shamiya rebel group said that Aleppo was a moral victory for the insurgents. &quot;We were steadfast ... but unfortunately nobody stood with us at all&quot;, the commander, who declined to be identified, told Reuters.

&quot;Uncompromising victory&quot;

The plight of civilians has caused global outrage in the wake of a sudden series of advances by the Syrian army and its allies across the rebel enclave over the past two weeks.

&quot;We appear to be witnessing nothing less than ... a total uncompromising military victory,&quot; UN&nbsp;Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon told the UN&nbsp;Security Council on Tuesday.

The rout of rebels from their ever-shrinking territory in Aleppo sparked a mass flight of terrified civilians and insurgents in bitter weather, a crisis the United Nations said was a &quot;complete meltdown of humanity&quot;. There were food and water shortages in rebel areas with all hospitals closed.

The United Nations earlier on Tuesday voiced deep concern about reports it had received of Syrian soldiers and allied Iraqi fighters summarily shooting dead 82 people in recaptured east Aleppo districts. It accused them of &quot;slaughter&quot;.

&quot;The reports we had are of people being shot in the street trying to flee and shot in their homes,&quot; said Rupert Colville, a UN&nbsp;spokesman. &quot;There could be many more.&quot;

&quot;They have gone from siege to slaughter,&quot; British UN&nbsp;ambassador Matthew Rycroft said. &quot;Aleppo will join the ranks of those events in world history that define modern evil, that stain our conscience decades later - Halabja, Rwanda, Srebrenica and now Aleppo,&quot; said US&nbsp;ambassador Samantha Power.

The Syrian army has denied carrying out killings or torture among those captured, and its main ally Russia said on Tuesday rebels had &quot;kept over 100,000 people in east Aleppo as human shields&quot;.

An official with an Aleppo rebel group said the bulk of about 50,000 people was expected to be evacuated.

Fear stalked the city&#39;s streets. Some survivors trudged in the rain past dead bodies to the government-held west or the few districts still in rebel hands. Others stayed in their homes and awaited the Syrian army&#39;s arrival.

For all of them, fear of arrest, conscription or summary execution added to the daily terror of bombardment. &quot;People are saying the troops have lists of families of fighters and are asking them if they had sons with the terrorists. (They are) then either left or shot and left to die,&quot; said Abu Malek al-Shamali in Seif al-Dawla, one of the last rebel-held districts.

Wasteland of rubble

A Syrian military source said the evacuation of fighters would start at 5 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Wednesday. The source said fighters&#39; families would also leave, but did not mention other civilian evacuations.

&quot;We&#39;re going to watch this closely,&quot; US&nbsp;State Department spokesman John Kirby said. &quot;Obviously if it is true and there has been a ceasefire arrangement reached that not only stops the bombing and the violence but allows people to safely leave Aleppo, we would welcome it.&quot;

Behind those fleeing was a wasteland of flattened buildings, concrete rubble and bullet-pocked walls, where tens of thousands had lived until recent days under intense bombardment even after medical and rescue services had collapsed.

The once-flourishing economic centre with its renowned ancient sites has been pulverised during the war which has killed hundreds of thousands of people, created the world&#39;s worst refugee crisis and allowed for the rise of Islamic State.

The UN&#39;s Colville said the rebel-held area had become &quot;a hellish corner&quot; of less than a square kilometre. Its capture was imminent, he added.

The Syrian army and its allies could declare victory at any moment, a Syrian military source had said earlier, predicting the final fall of the rebel enclave on Tuesday or Wednesday, after insurgent defences collapsed on Monday.

Terrible conditions were described by city residents.

Abu Malek al-Shamali, a resident in the rebel area, said dead bodies lay in the streets. &quot;There are many corpses in Fardous and Bustan al-Qasr with no one to bury them,&rdquo; he said.

&quot;Last night people slept in the streets and in buildings where every flat has several families crowded in,&quot; he added.

Tide of refugees

State television broadcast footage of a tide of hundreds of refugees walking along a ravaged street, wearing thick clothes against the rain and cold, many with hoods or hats pulled tight around their faces, and hauling sacks or bags of belongings.

One man pushed a bicycle loaded with bags, another family pulled a cart on which sat an elderly woman. Another man carried on his back a small girl wearing a pink hat.

At the same time, a correspondent from a pro-Damascus television station spoke to camera from a part of Aleppo held by the government, standing in a tidy street with flowing traffic.

In some recaptured areas, people were returning to their shattered homes. A woman in her sixties, who identified herself as Umm Ali, or &quot;Ali&#39;s mother&quot;, said that she, her husband and her disabled daughter had no water.

They were looking after the orphaned children of another daughter killed in the bombing, she said, and were reduced to putting pots and pans in the street to collect rainwater.

In another building near al-Shaar district, which was taken by the army last week, a man was fixing the balcony of his house with his children. &quot;No matter the circumstances, our home is better than displacement,&quot; he said.

&quot;The crushing of Aleppo, the immeasurably terrifying toll on its people, the bloodshed, the wanton slaughter of men, women and children, the destruction &ndash; and we are nowhere near the end of this cruel conflict,&quot; UN&nbsp;High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra&#39;ad al-Hussein said in a statement.

(Reuters)

The rebels are expected to depart with light weapons starting on Wednesday morning

Rebel resistance in the Syrian city of Aleppo ended on Tuesday after years of fighting and months of bitter siege and bombardment that culminated in a bloody retreat, as insurgents agreed to withdraw in a ceasefire. The battle of Aleppo, one of the worst of a civil war that has drawn in global and regional powers, has ended with victory for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his military coalition of Russia, Iran and regional Shi'ite militias. For rebels, their expected departure with light weapons starting on Wednesday morning for opposition-held regions west of the city is a crushing blow to their hopes of ousting Assad after revolting against him during the 2011 Arab uprisings. However, the war will still be far from over, with insurgents retaining major strongholds elsewhere in Syria, and the jihadist Islamic State group holding swathes of the east and recapturing the ancient city of Palmyra this week. "Over the last hour we have received information that the military activities in east Aleppo have stopped, it has stopped," Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told a heated UN Security Council meeting. "The Syrian government has established control over east Aleppo." Rebel officials said fighting would end on Tuesday night and a source in the pro-Assad military alliance said the evacuation of fighters would begin at around dawn on Wednesday. A Reuters reporter in Aleppo said late on Tuesday that the booms of the bombardment could no longer be heard. Fighters and their families, along with civilians who have thrown in their lot with the rebels, will have until Wednesday evening to quit the city, a Turkish government source said. The ceasefire was negotiated by Turkey and Russia, without US involvement. A commander with the Jabha Shamiya rebel group said that Aleppo was a moral victory for the insurgents. "We were steadfast ... but unfortunately nobody stood with us at all", the commander, who declined to be identified, told Reuters. "Uncompromising victory" The plight of civilians has caused global outrage in the wake of a sudden series of advances by the Syrian army and its allies across the rebel enclave over the past two weeks. "We appear to be witnessing nothing less than ... a total uncompromising military victory," UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon told the UN Security Council on Tuesday. The rout of rebels from their ever-shrinking territory in Aleppo sparked a mass flight of terrified civilians and insurgents in bitter weather, a crisis the United Nations said was a "complete meltdown of humanity". There were food and water shortages in rebel areas with all hospitals closed. The United Nations earlier on Tuesday voiced deep concern about reports it had received of Syrian soldiers and allied Iraqi fighters summarily shooting dead 82 people in recaptured east Aleppo districts. It accused them of "slaughter". "The reports we had are of people being shot in the street trying to flee and shot in their homes," said Rupert Colville, a UN spokesman. "There could be many more." "They have gone from siege to slaughter," British UN ambassador Matthew Rycroft said. "Aleppo will join the ranks of those events in world history that define modern evil, that stain our conscience decades later - Halabja, Rwanda, Srebrenica and now Aleppo," said US ambassador Samantha Power. The Syrian army has denied carrying out killings or torture among those captured, and its main ally Russia said on Tuesday rebels had "kept over 100,000 people in east Aleppo as human shields". An official with an Aleppo rebel group said the bulk of about 50,000 people was expected to be evacuated. Fear stalked the city's streets. Some survivors trudged in the rain past dead bodies to the government-held west or the few districts still in rebel hands. Others stayed in their homes and awaited the Syrian army's arrival. For all of them, fear of arrest, conscription or summary execution added to the daily terror of bombardment. "People are saying the troops have lists of families of fighters and are asking them if they had sons with the terrorists. (They are) then either left or shot and left to die," said Abu Malek al-Shamali in Seif al-Dawla, one of the last rebel-held districts. Wasteland of rubble A Syrian military source said the evacuation of fighters would start at 5 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Wednesday. The source said fighters' families would also leave, but did not mention other civilian evacuations. "We're going to watch this closely," US State Department spokesman John Kirby said. "Obviously if it is true and there has been a ceasefire arrangement reached that not only stops the bombing and the violence but allows people to safely leave Aleppo, we would welcome it." Behind those fleeing was a wasteland of flattened buildings, concrete rubble and bullet-pocked walls, where tens of thousands had lived until recent days under intense bombardment even after medical and rescue services had collapsed. The once-flourishing economic centre with its renowned ancient sites has been pulverised during the war which has killed hundreds of thousands of people, created the world's worst refugee crisis and allowed for the rise of Islamic State. The UN's Colville said the rebel-held area had become "a hellish corner" of less than a square kilometre. Its capture was imminent, he added. The Syrian army and its allies could declare victory at any moment, a Syrian military source had said earlier, predicting the final fall of the rebel enclave on Tuesday or Wednesday, after insurgent defences collapsed on Monday. Terrible conditions were described by city residents. Abu Malek al-Shamali, a resident in the rebel area, said dead bodies lay in the streets. "There are many corpses in Fardous and Bustan al-Qasr with no one to bury them,” he said. "Last night people slept in the streets and in buildings where every flat has several families crowded in," he added. Tide of refugees State television broadcast footage of a tide of hundreds of refugees walking along a ravaged street, wearing thick clothes against the rain and cold, many with hoods or hats pulled tight around their faces, and hauling sacks or bags of belongings. One man pushed a bicycle loaded with bags, another family pulled a cart on which sat an elderly woman. Another man carried on his back a small girl wearing a pink hat. At the same time, a correspondent from a pro-Damascus television station spoke to camera from a part of Aleppo held by the government, standing in a tidy street with flowing traffic. In some recaptured areas, people were returning to their shattered homes. A woman in her sixties, who identified herself as Umm Ali, or "Ali's mother", said that she, her husband and her disabled daughter had no water. They were looking after the orphaned children of another daughter killed in the bombing, she said, and were reduced to putting pots and pans in the street to collect rainwater. In another building near al-Shaar district, which was taken by the army last week, a man was fixing the balcony of his house with his children. "No matter the circumstances, our home is better than displacement," he said. "The crushing of Aleppo, the immeasurably terrifying toll on its people, the bloodshed, the wanton slaughter of men, women and children, the destruction – and we are nowhere near the end of this cruel conflict," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said in a statement. (Reuters)

Battle of Aleppo ends after years of bloodshed with rebel withdrawal

The Syrian army and its allies made sweeping advances in Aleppo on Monday, raining fire on rebels and pushing them to the brink of collapse in a shrinking enclave packed with civilians who said they faced &quot;doomsday in Aleppo&quot;.

&quot;The bombardment did not stop for a moment overnight,&quot; said a Reuters journalist in the government-held zone of the city, describing it as the most intense for days.&nbsp;

Pro-government forces were clashing with insurgents in Fardous district, which was at the heart of the besieged pocket only days ago, after taking Sheikh Saeed in the south and Saliheen in the east, a rebel official said.&nbsp;

&quot;The situation is extremely difficult today,&quot; said Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group fighting in Aleppo.&nbsp;

The rebels&#39; sudden retreat represented a &quot;big collapse in terrorist morale&quot;, a Syrian military source said.&nbsp;

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is now close to taking back full control of Aleppo, which was Syria`s most populous city before the war and would be his greatest prize so far after nearly six years of conflict.

Rebel groups in Aleppo received a US-Russian proposal on Sunday for a withdrawal of fighters and civilians from the city&#39;s opposition areas, but Moscow said no agreement had been reached yet in talks in Geneva to end the crisis peacefully.

&quot;People run from one shelling to another to escape death and just to save their souls... It`s doomsday in Aleppo, yes doomsday in Aleppo,&quot; said Abu Amer Iqab, a former government employee in the Sukkari district in the heart of the rebel enclave.

The rebel official blamed Russia for the lack of progress in talks, saying it had no incentive to compromise while its ally Assad was gaining ground. &quot;The Russians are being evasive. They are looking at the military situation. Now they are advancing,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

While Alepp&#39;s fall would deal a stunning blow to rebels trying to remove Assad from power, he would still be far from restoring control across Syria. Swathes of the country remain in rebel hands, and on Sunday Islamic State retook Palmyra.

Tens of thousands of civilians remain in rebel-held areas, hemmed in by ever-changing front lines, pounded by air strikes and shelling, and without basic supplies, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group.&nbsp;

Fighting

The Observatory said the Sheikh Saeed district had fallen to the army in fighting on Sunday night and early on Monday and troops were firing on the districts of Karam al-Daadaa and Fardous.&nbsp;

An advance into those districts would take the army into the heart of the area held by rebels as recently as Saturday, pushing them towards a last bastion of control on the west bank of Aleppo`s river and the area southwest of the citadel.&nbsp;

The Syrian army is backed by Russian war planes and Shi`ite militias supported by Iran. The mostly Sunni rebels include groups backed by the United States, Turkey and Gulf monarchies as well as hardline jihadists who are not supported by the West.

A correspondent for Syria`s official SANA news agency said the army had taken control of Sheikh Saeed, and more than 3,500 people had left at dawn.

A Syrian official told Reuters: &quot;We managed to take full control of the Sheikh Saeed district. This area is very important because it facilitates access to al-Amariya and allows us to secure a greater part of the Aleppo-Ramousah road.&quot; The road is the main entry point to the city from the south.

The loss of Palmyra, an ancient desert city whose recapture from Islamic State in March was heralded by Damascus and Moscow as vindicating Russia`s entry into the war, is an embarrassing setback to Assad.&nbsp;

The Observatory reported that the jihadist group carried out eight executions of Syrian soldiers and allied militiamen in Palmyra on Monday while warplanes bombarded their positions around the city.&nbsp;

Another four people, including two children, were shot dead while the jihadists cleared the city of pro-government forces, it said.&nbsp;

Civilians

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday that 728 rebels had laid down their weapons over the previous 24 hours and relocated to western Aleppo. It said 13,346 civilians left rebel-controlled districts of Aleppo over the same period.

The Observatory said that four weeks into the army offensive at least 415 civilians, including 47 children, had been killed in rebel-held parts of the city.

Hundreds had been injured by Russian and Syrian air strikes and shelling by government forces and its allies on the besieged eastern part of the city.

The Observatory said 364 rebel fighters had been killed in the eastern sector. It said rebel shelling of government-held west Aleppo had killed 130 civilians, including 40 children. Dozens had been injured.

The army on Sunday took foreign journalists to witness an enlistment ceremony for 220 men, including former rebels and others from opposition-held areas captured by the government. The fate of young men leaving the shrinking rebel pocket in Aleppo has been a subject of argument between the two sides.&nbsp;

Opposition supporters have accused the government of mass arrests and extrajudicial killings, which Damascus has denied. The government accuses rebels of forcing people to fight for them and preventing them leaving, which the insurgents deny.

The United Nations said last week it was concerned about reports that hundreds of young men had been detained upon leaving the rebel-held enclave.

(Reuters)

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is now close to taking back full control of Aleppo, which was Syria's most populous city before the war

The Syrian army and its allies made sweeping advances in Aleppo on Monday, raining fire on rebels and pushing them to the brink of collapse in a shrinking enclave packed with civilians who said they faced "doomsday in Aleppo". "The bombardment did not stop for a moment overnight," said a Reuters journalist in the government-held zone of the city, describing it as the most intense for days. Pro-government forces were clashing with insurgents in Fardous district, which was at the heart of the besieged pocket only days ago, after taking Sheikh Saeed in the south and Saliheen in the east, a rebel official said. "The situation is extremely difficult today," said Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group fighting in Aleppo. The rebels' sudden retreat represented a "big collapse in terrorist morale", a Syrian military source said. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is now close to taking back full control of Aleppo, which was Syria`s most populous city before the war and would be his greatest prize so far after nearly six years of conflict. Rebel groups in Aleppo received a US-Russian proposal on Sunday for a withdrawal of fighters and civilians from the city's opposition areas, but Moscow said no agreement had been reached yet in talks in Geneva to end the crisis peacefully. "People run from one shelling to another to escape death and just to save their souls... It`s doomsday in Aleppo, yes doomsday in Aleppo," said Abu Amer Iqab, a former government employee in the Sukkari district in the heart of the rebel enclave. The rebel official blamed Russia for the lack of progress in talks, saying it had no incentive to compromise while its ally Assad was gaining ground. "The Russians are being evasive. They are looking at the military situation. Now they are advancing," he said. While Alepp's fall would deal a stunning blow to rebels trying to remove Assad from power, he would still be far from restoring control across Syria. Swathes of the country remain in rebel hands, and on Sunday Islamic State retook Palmyra. Tens of thousands of civilians remain in rebel-held areas, hemmed in by ever-changing front lines, pounded by air strikes and shelling, and without basic supplies, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group. Fighting The Observatory said the Sheikh Saeed district had fallen to the army in fighting on Sunday night and early on Monday and troops were firing on the districts of Karam al-Daadaa and Fardous. An advance into those districts would take the army into the heart of the area held by rebels as recently as Saturday, pushing them towards a last bastion of control on the west bank of Aleppo`s river and the area southwest of the citadel. The Syrian army is backed by Russian war planes and Shi`ite militias supported by Iran. The mostly Sunni rebels include groups backed by the United States, Turkey and Gulf monarchies as well as hardline jihadists who are not supported by the West. A correspondent for Syria`s official SANA news agency said the army had taken control of Sheikh Saeed, and more than 3,500 people had left at dawn. A Syrian official told Reuters: "We managed to take full control of the Sheikh Saeed district. This area is very important because it facilitates access to al-Amariya and allows us to secure a greater part of the Aleppo-Ramousah road." The road is the main entry point to the city from the south. The loss of Palmyra, an ancient desert city whose recapture from Islamic State in March was heralded by Damascus and Moscow as vindicating Russia`s entry into the war, is an embarrassing setback to Assad. The Observatory reported that the jihadist group carried out eight executions of Syrian soldiers and allied militiamen in Palmyra on Monday while warplanes bombarded their positions around the city. Another four people, including two children, were shot dead while the jihadists cleared the city of pro-government forces, it said. Civilians The Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday that 728 rebels had laid down their weapons over the previous 24 hours and relocated to western Aleppo. It said 13,346 civilians left rebel-controlled districts of Aleppo over the same period. The Observatory said that four weeks into the army offensive at least 415 civilians, including 47 children, had been killed in rebel-held parts of the city. Hundreds had been injured by Russian and Syrian air strikes and shelling by government forces and its allies on the besieged eastern part of the city. The Observatory said 364 rebel fighters had been killed in the eastern sector. It said rebel shelling of government-held west Aleppo had killed 130 civilians, including 40 children. Dozens had been injured. The army on Sunday took foreign journalists to witness an enlistment ceremony for 220 men, including former rebels and others from opposition-held areas captured by the government. The fate of young men leaving the shrinking rebel pocket in Aleppo has been a subject of argument between the two sides. Opposition supporters have accused the government of mass arrests and extrajudicial killings, which Damascus has denied. The government accuses rebels of forcing people to fight for them and preventing them leaving, which the insurgents deny. The United Nations said last week it was concerned about reports that hundreds of young men had been detained upon leaving the rebel-held enclave. (Reuters)

Syrian army takes Aleppo districts amid bombardment

A top UN envoy on Wednesday pleaded with the Security Council to help break the siege of Aleppo, warning that residents of the Syrian city were at risk of extermination.

&quot;For the sake of humanity we call on -- we plead -- with the parties and those with influence to do everything in their power to protect civilians and enable access to the besieged part of eastern Aleppo before it becomes one giant graveyard,&quot; said Stephen O&#39;Brien, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs.

O&#39;Brien, speaking to a special Security Council session by video-link from London, said that the clock was ticking on the city as the winter set in.

Residents have been reduced to scavenging for food, hospitals are not functioning after repeated military strikes and an estimated 25,000 people have taken dangerous escape routes out of eastern Aleppo since Saturday alone, O&#39;Brien said.

O&#39;Brien said that aid convoys were ready to roll in from Turkey and western Aleppo but that they needed an end to the siege and protection for civilians.

&quot;These are neither new nor complicated demands -- those common threads of humanity that we all have a responsibility to rally around,&quot; he said.

&quot;Those parties that can&#39;t or won&#39;t live up to their basic obligations should know that they will one day be held accountable for their actions,&quot; he said.

The eastern part of Aleppo -- which was home to 250,000 people -- has been a key rebel stronghold since 2012.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s forces have carried out the four-month siege to retake control, enjoying military and diplomatic backing from Russia.

O&#39;Brien said he faced the persistent question as he traveled -- &quot;Why on Earth can the Security Council not come together to unite to put a stop to this suffering?&quot;

Clash at Security Council

Britain&#39;s ambassador, Matthew Rycroft, said he had a simple answer to O&#39;Brien&#39;s question on why the Security Council could not act -- Russia.

He accused Russia, which in October vetoed a resolution to stop the bombing in Aleppo, of supporting &quot;a deliberate act of starvation and a deliberate withholding of medical care.&quot;

&quot;The Syrian regime and Russia have been executing a plan that has now laid one million people under siege. And executing is an all too appropriate word,&quot; he said.

Russia&#39;s envoy, Vitaly Churkin, brushed off criticism and said Syria was seeking to eliminate extremists such as the Al-Nusra Front, which has rebranded itself the Fateh al-Sham Front after severing ties to Al-Qaeda.

&quot;We vehemently condemn any attempts to protect terrorists including any political action on a humanitarian pretext which, sadly alas, UN humanitarian works have been dragged into,&quot; Churkin said.

He accused Western powers of hypocrisy, saying there were also great humanitarian needs in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and Yemen where the United States is on the opposite side.

The US ambassador, Samantha Power, urged the Security Council to pass a resolution sponsored by Egypt, New Zealand and Spain that would mandate a 10-day military halt to allow humanitarian supplies to enter Aleppo.

&quot;This is a no-brainer. Anyone who tells you otherwise does not have the survival of Syrian civilians at heart,&quot; Power said.

But she feared a new Russian veto and acknowledged a brief halt &quot;is barely even a Band-Aid and it is a sign in some ways of just how low our bar has become.&quot;

(AFP)

Residents have been reduced to scavenging for food, hospitals are dysfunctional and thousands have escaped out of eastern Aleppo

A top UN envoy on Wednesday pleaded with the Security Council to help break the siege of Aleppo, warning that residents of the Syrian city were at risk of extermination. "For the sake of humanity we call on -- we plead -- with the parties and those with influence to do everything in their power to protect civilians and enable access to the besieged part of eastern Aleppo before it becomes one giant graveyard," said Stephen O'Brien, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs. O'Brien, speaking to a special Security Council session by video-link from London, said that the clock was ticking on the city as the winter set in. Residents have been reduced to scavenging for food, hospitals are not functioning after repeated military strikes and an estimated 25,000 people have taken dangerous escape routes out of eastern Aleppo since Saturday alone, O'Brien said. O'Brien said that aid convoys were ready to roll in from Turkey and western Aleppo but that they needed an end to the siege and protection for civilians. "These are neither new nor complicated demands -- those common threads of humanity that we all have a responsibility to rally around," he said. "Those parties that can't or won't live up to their basic obligations should know that they will one day be held accountable for their actions," he said. The eastern part of Aleppo -- which was home to 250,000 people -- has been a key rebel stronghold since 2012. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces have carried out the four-month siege to retake control, enjoying military and diplomatic backing from Russia. O'Brien said he faced the persistent question as he traveled -- "Why on Earth can the Security Council not come together to unite to put a stop to this suffering?" Clash at Security Council Britain's ambassador, Matthew Rycroft, said he had a simple answer to O'Brien's question on why the Security Council could not act -- Russia. He accused Russia, which in October vetoed a resolution to stop the bombing in Aleppo, of supporting "a deliberate act of starvation and a deliberate withholding of medical care." "The Syrian regime and Russia have been executing a plan that has now laid one million people under siege. And executing is an all too appropriate word," he said. Russia's envoy, Vitaly Churkin, brushed off criticism and said Syria was seeking to eliminate extremists such as the Al-Nusra Front, which has rebranded itself the Fateh al-Sham Front after severing ties to Al-Qaeda. "We vehemently condemn any attempts to protect terrorists including any political action on a humanitarian pretext which, sadly alas, UN humanitarian works have been dragged into," Churkin said. He accused Western powers of hypocrisy, saying there were also great humanitarian needs in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and Yemen where the United States is on the opposite side. The US ambassador, Samantha Power, urged the Security Council to pass a resolution sponsored by Egypt, New Zealand and Spain that would mandate a 10-day military halt to allow humanitarian supplies to enter Aleppo. "This is a no-brainer. Anyone who tells you otherwise does not have the survival of Syrian civilians at heart," Power said. But she feared a new Russian veto and acknowledged a brief halt "is barely even a Band-Aid and it is a sign in some ways of just how low our bar has become." (AFP)

UN envoy warns Aleppo risks becoming 'one giant graveyard'

The Syrian government offensive to recapture rebel-held parts of Aleppo sparked international alarm on Tuesday, with the UN saying nearly 16,000 people had fled the assault and more could follow.

France called for an immediate UN Security Council session on the fighting, which has seen the army capture a third of opposition-controlled east Aleppo in recent days.

The fighting has prompted an exodus of terrified civilians, many fleeing empty-handed into remaining rebel-held territory, or crossing into government-controlled western Aleppo or Kurdish districts.

UN humanitarian chief Stephen O&#39;Brien said the situation was &quot;alarming and chilling&quot;.

&quot;Up to 16,000 people have been displaced, many into uncertain and precarious situations,&quot; he said.

The figure excludes civilians who have escaped to remaining rebel-held territory, and O&#39;Brien warned it was &quot;likely that thousands more will have no choice but to flee should fighting continue.&quot;

East Aleppo has been under government siege for more than four months, with international aid stocks exhausted and food supplies running low.

World Food Programme spokeswoman Bettina Luescher said civilians were enduring a &quot;slow motion descent into hell.&quot;

Government forces have advanced swiftly in their two-week operation, capturing all of the city&#39;s northeast in a major blow to the opposition.

Sleeping in streets

The loss of their east Aleppo stronghold would be the worst defeat for rebels since Syria&#39;s conflict erupted more than five years ago.

The opposition has steadily lost territory in recent months to government forces bolstered by a Russian military intervention that began in September 2015.

Moscow says it is not involved in the Aleppo offensive, but a Russian defence ministry spokesman said Syrian government forces had seized &quot;nearly half the territory occupied by rebels in east Aleppo in recent years&quot;.

&quot;The careful and long-planned operations by the Syrian army have radically changed the situation over the past 24 hours,&quot; said General Igor Konashenkov.

Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed his government to set up mobile field hospitals around Aleppo, the Kremlin said.

A hospital with a capacity of up to 250 patients a day will be sent to the Aleppo region on Wednesday morning, according to Russian news agencies.

More than 250 civilians have been killed in the government&#39;s assault on east Aleppo since November 15, including nearly 30 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The monitor said at least 10 civilians were killed in a strike in the Bab al-Nayrab district on Tuesday and reported ongoing clashes in the Shaar and Tariq al-Bab neighbourhoods.

The Observatory said the civilian exodus continued Tuesday from neighbourhoods now on the front line.

An AFP correspondent said families were forced to sleep in the streets or in unfurnished apartments left empty by fleeing residents.

Rights group Amnesty International urged Syrian authorities to protect civilians in recaptured areas.

&quot;Given the Syrian government&#39;s long and dark history of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances on a mass scale, it is even more crucial that civilians are protected in newly captured areas of Aleppo city,&quot; said Samah Hadid, Amnesty&#39;s deputy director for campaigns in Beirut.

Children &#39;sitting targets&#39;

And Save the Children warned the assault was separating families and leaving thousands, including children, homeless and at risk.

&quot;With so many people trapped in an ever-shrinking space, children can be little more than sitting targets for bombs,&quot; said Syria director Sonia Khush.

Backers of Syria&#39;s moderate opposition have expressed concern about the army&#39;s advances, but have shown little willingness to intervene.

France&#39;s Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called Tuesday for an &quot;immediate&quot; UN Security Council meeting to discuss the &quot;humanitarian disaster&quot; in Aleppo.

&quot;More than ever, there is an urgent need for a cessation of hostilities and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance,&quot; he said.

On the ground, residents expressed despair and uncertainty for the future, after months of food shortages and heavy bombardment.

Syria&#39;s conflict has killed more than 300,000 people and drawn in world powers including a US-led air coalition fighting the Islamic State group.

After a six-week probe, the Pentagon on Tuesday said intelligence errors resulted in a coalition strike that reportedly killed about 90 Syrian government forces in eastern Deir Ezzor in September.

Also on Tuesday, at least 1,200 including rebels and their relatives were evacuated from a rebel stronghold near Damascus to the northwest province of Idlib, the Observatory and aid workers said.

Local leaders in Khan al-Shih, southwest of the capital, struck a deal with Damascus that would see their town brought back under regime control in exchange for an end to the government siege.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Many terrified civilians are fleeing empty-handed into remaining rebel-held territory or crossing into govt-controlled districts

The Syrian government offensive to recapture rebel-held parts of Aleppo sparked international alarm on Tuesday, with the UN saying nearly 16,000 people had fled the assault and more could follow. France called for an immediate UN Security Council session on the fighting, which has seen the army capture a third of opposition-controlled east Aleppo in recent days. The fighting has prompted an exodus of terrified civilians, many fleeing empty-handed into remaining rebel-held territory, or crossing into government-controlled western Aleppo or Kurdish districts. UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said the situation was "alarming and chilling". "Up to 16,000 people have been displaced, many into uncertain and precarious situations," he said. The figure excludes civilians who have escaped to remaining rebel-held territory, and O'Brien warned it was "likely that thousands more will have no choice but to flee should fighting continue." East Aleppo has been under government siege for more than four months, with international aid stocks exhausted and food supplies running low. World Food Programme spokeswoman Bettina Luescher said civilians were enduring a "slow motion descent into hell." Government forces have advanced swiftly in their two-week operation, capturing all of the city's northeast in a major blow to the opposition. Sleeping in streets The loss of their east Aleppo stronghold would be the worst defeat for rebels since Syria's conflict erupted more than five years ago. The opposition has steadily lost territory in recent months to government forces bolstered by a Russian military intervention that began in September 2015. Moscow says it is not involved in the Aleppo offensive, but a Russian defence ministry spokesman said Syrian government forces had seized "nearly half the territory occupied by rebels in east Aleppo in recent years". "The careful and long-planned operations by the Syrian army have radically changed the situation over the past 24 hours," said General Igor Konashenkov. Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed his government to set up mobile field hospitals around Aleppo, the Kremlin said. A hospital with a capacity of up to 250 patients a day will be sent to the Aleppo region on Wednesday morning, according to Russian news agencies. More than 250 civilians have been killed in the government's assault on east Aleppo since November 15, including nearly 30 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The monitor said at least 10 civilians were killed in a strike in the Bab al-Nayrab district on Tuesday and reported ongoing clashes in the Shaar and Tariq al-Bab neighbourhoods. The Observatory said the civilian exodus continued Tuesday from neighbourhoods now on the front line. An AFP correspondent said families were forced to sleep in the streets or in unfurnished apartments left empty by fleeing residents. Rights group Amnesty International urged Syrian authorities to protect civilians in recaptured areas. "Given the Syrian government's long and dark history of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances on a mass scale, it is even more crucial that civilians are protected in newly captured areas of Aleppo city," said Samah Hadid, Amnesty's deputy director for campaigns in Beirut. Children 'sitting targets' And Save the Children warned the assault was separating families and leaving thousands, including children, homeless and at risk. "With so many people trapped in an ever-shrinking space, children can be little more than sitting targets for bombs," said Syria director Sonia Khush. Backers of Syria's moderate opposition have expressed concern about the army's advances, but have shown little willingness to intervene. France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called Tuesday for an "immediate" UN Security Council meeting to discuss the "humanitarian disaster" in Aleppo. "More than ever, there is an urgent need for a cessation of hostilities and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance," he said. On the ground, residents expressed despair and uncertainty for the future, after months of food shortages and heavy bombardment. Syria's conflict has killed more than 300,000 people and drawn in world powers including a US-led air coalition fighting the Islamic State group. After a six-week probe, the Pentagon on Tuesday said intelligence errors resulted in a coalition strike that reportedly killed about 90 Syrian government forces in eastern Deir Ezzor in September. Also on Tuesday, at least 1,200 including rebels and their relatives were evacuated from a rebel stronghold near Damascus to the northwest province of Idlib, the Observatory and aid workers said. Local leaders in Khan al-Shih, southwest of the capital, struck a deal with Damascus that would see their town brought back under regime control in exchange for an end to the government siege. (AFP)

Aleppo war: UN raises alarm as thousands of civilians flee

Syria&#39;s rebels lost all of the northern neighbourhoods of their stronghold in east Aleppo on Monday, as the army made significant advances in its offensive to recapture the entire city.

The regime gains have prompted an exodus of thousands of desperate civilians, some fleeing to districts held by the government or Kurdish forces, others heading south into areas still under opposition control.

&quot;The situation is disastrous,&quot; said Ibrahim Abu Al-Leith, a spokesman for the White Helmets rescue group in the Ansari neighbourhood.

&quot;There is mass displacement and morale is in the gutter,&quot; he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

&quot;People are sleeping in the streets. They don&#39;t have anything to eat or drink, but neither do we,&quot; he told AFP.

The loss of eastern Aleppo would be a potentially devastating blow to Syria&#39;s rebels, who seized the area in 2012.

The opposition has steadily lost territory since Russia intervened to bolster President Bashar al-Assad in September 2015.

On Monday, government forces seized the Sakhur, Haydariya and Sheikh Khodr districts, and Kurdish fighters took the Sheikh Fares neighbourhood from rebels, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.

&quot;This is their (the rebels&#39;) worst defeat since they seized half the city in 2012,&quot; Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The advances left all of northeast Aleppo under government control.

Hungry civilians

Syria&#39;s White Helmets warned on Monday they had no more fuel reserves for rescue vehicles.

In a video statement, the group urged &quot;all humanitarian, aid, and medical organisations to immediately intervene to put an end to the humanitarian disaster&quot; facing civilians in besieged Aleppo.

Nearly 10,000 civilians have fled the east, the Observatory said late Sunday, with about 6,000 moving to the Kurdish-held Sheikh Maqsud neighbourhood and 4,000 to government-held west Aleppo.

Kurdish officials published a video they said showed civilians crossing a field to Sheikh Maqsud, where local forces helped people cross a makeshift berm.

Syria&#39;s Kurds are officially aligned with neither the government nor the rebels, but the opposition views them as effectively allied with the regime in its efforts to recapture Aleppo.

Hundreds of civilians were also fleeing south to the remaining rebel-held districts with little more than the clothes they wore, an AFP correspondent said.

People in southern neighbourhoods were donating blankets and other items to the new arrivals, who had travelled on foot, exhausted, cold and hungry.

The United Nations said it was &quot;deeply concerned&quot; about civilians in the east, where international aid is exhausted and food stocks are desperately low.

The UN has appealed for access to the east many times, but has failed to secure the necessary guarantees to enable aid deliveries.

&quot;In terms of east Aleppo, we just need the green light from the people who control the roads going in because, as you know, the east of Aleppo is besieged,&quot; Ramesh Rajasingham, the UN&#39;s deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis, told AFP.

&#39;Turning point&#39;

The government advances mean the regime now controls at least a third of eastern Aleppo, just under two weeks into its renewed bid to recapture the city.

State television said the army had captured the key Suleiman al-Halabi pumping station, which controls water supplies to government-held west Aleppo and has periodically been shut by rebels.

Three people were killed and 29 wounded in rebel fire on western Aleppo on Monday, state media said.

Regime bombardment of eastern districts killed six civilians, Abdel Rahman said.

The government assault of heavy air strikes, barrel bomb attacks and artillery fire has killed at least 235 civilians, including 27 children, in east Aleppo, according to the Observatory.

Rebel fire into the government-held west has also killed at least 27 civilians, among them 11 children, since November 15, it says.

Syria&#39;s Al-Watan daily, which is close to the government, said the next stage would be &quot;to divide the remaining (rebel-held) area into... districts that will be easily controlled and to capture them successively&quot;.

But British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called for an immediate ceasefire in Aleppo, saying the assault &quot;is threatening a humanitarian catastrophe&quot;.

More than 300,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011.

Syria&#39;s deputy foreign minister on Monday denounced accusations by &quot;western&quot; countries that it has used chemical weapons in the conflict as &quot;a campaign of lies&quot;.

Faisal Muqdad was speaking at the annual conference in The Hague of countries belonging to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

(AFP)

'The situation is disastrous,' said Ibrahim Abu Al-Leith, a spokesman for the White Helmets rescue group

Syria's rebels lost all of the northern neighbourhoods of their stronghold in east Aleppo on Monday, as the army made significant advances in its offensive to recapture the entire city. The regime gains have prompted an exodus of thousands of desperate civilians, some fleeing to districts held by the government or Kurdish forces, others heading south into areas still under opposition control. "The situation is disastrous," said Ibrahim Abu Al-Leith, a spokesman for the White Helmets rescue group in the Ansari neighbourhood. "There is mass displacement and morale is in the gutter," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "People are sleeping in the streets. They don't have anything to eat or drink, but neither do we," he told AFP. The loss of eastern Aleppo would be a potentially devastating blow to Syria's rebels, who seized the area in 2012. The opposition has steadily lost territory since Russia intervened to bolster President Bashar al-Assad in September 2015. On Monday, government forces seized the Sakhur, Haydariya and Sheikh Khodr districts, and Kurdish fighters took the Sheikh Fares neighbourhood from rebels, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. "This is their (the rebels') worst defeat since they seized half the city in 2012," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. The advances left all of northeast Aleppo under government control. Hungry civilians Syria's White Helmets warned on Monday they had no more fuel reserves for rescue vehicles. In a video statement, the group urged "all humanitarian, aid, and medical organisations to immediately intervene to put an end to the humanitarian disaster" facing civilians in besieged Aleppo. Nearly 10,000 civilians have fled the east, the Observatory said late Sunday, with about 6,000 moving to the Kurdish-held Sheikh Maqsud neighbourhood and 4,000 to government-held west Aleppo. Kurdish officials published a video they said showed civilians crossing a field to Sheikh Maqsud, where local forces helped people cross a makeshift berm. Syria's Kurds are officially aligned with neither the government nor the rebels, but the opposition views them as effectively allied with the regime in its efforts to recapture Aleppo. Hundreds of civilians were also fleeing south to the remaining rebel-held districts with little more than the clothes they wore, an AFP correspondent said. People in southern neighbourhoods were donating blankets and other items to the new arrivals, who had travelled on foot, exhausted, cold and hungry. The United Nations said it was "deeply concerned" about civilians in the east, where international aid is exhausted and food stocks are desperately low. The UN has appealed for access to the east many times, but has failed to secure the necessary guarantees to enable aid deliveries. "In terms of east Aleppo, we just need the green light from the people who control the roads going in because, as you know, the east of Aleppo is besieged," Ramesh Rajasingham, the UN's deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis, told AFP. 'Turning point' The government advances mean the regime now controls at least a third of eastern Aleppo, just under two weeks into its renewed bid to recapture the city. State television said the army had captured the key Suleiman al-Halabi pumping station, which controls water supplies to government-held west Aleppo and has periodically been shut by rebels. Three people were killed and 29 wounded in rebel fire on western Aleppo on Monday, state media said. Regime bombardment of eastern districts killed six civilians, Abdel Rahman said. The government assault of heavy air strikes, barrel bomb attacks and artillery fire has killed at least 235 civilians, including 27 children, in east Aleppo, according to the Observatory. Rebel fire into the government-held west has also killed at least 27 civilians, among them 11 children, since November 15, it says. Syria's Al-Watan daily, which is close to the government, said the next stage would be "to divide the remaining (rebel-held) area into... districts that will be easily controlled and to capture them successively". But British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called for an immediate ceasefire in Aleppo, saying the assault "is threatening a humanitarian catastrophe". More than 300,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011. Syria's deputy foreign minister on Monday denounced accusations by "western" countries that it has used chemical weapons in the conflict as "a campaign of lies". Faisal Muqdad was speaking at the annual conference in The Hague of countries belonging to the Chemical Weapons Convention. (AFP)

Exodus as Syria rebels lose northeast Aleppo

Syrian regime forces took control of six rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo over the weekend as they advanced their offensive to recapture Syria&#39;s second city.

Their wins included Masaken Hanano, the largest rebel-held district in eastern Aleppo.

Syrian forces also took control of Jabal Badra and Baadeeen and took three other districts on Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The monitor said that Inzarat, Al-Sakan al-Shaabi and Ain al-Tall have been taken over by government forces and the army has made large forays into Sakhur and nearby Haidariya.

It said government forces are &quot;in control of most of the northern part&quot; of Aleppo. The Observatory also reported that more than 4,000 civilians had fled east Aleppo overnight Saturday

&quot;The rebels have lost at least 30 per cent of the territory they once controlled in Aleppo,&quot; Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said, news agency AFP reported. &quot;It is the first exodus of this kind from east Aleppo since 2012.&quot;

Masaken Hanano was the first district to be taken by the rebels in 2012.

The regime has focussed its attention on the Sakhur as they pound rebel positions in the district.

Civilinas were taken &quot;by the army to safe areas&quot;, official media said, AFP reported.

Syrian state television broadcast images of a crowd gathered around green buses that it said had come to pick them up in Masaken Hanano, AFP said.

&quot;We are strengthening our positions to defend the city and residents, but the aircraft are destroying everything methodically, area by area,&quot; Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said of a regime campaign of air strikes, AFP reported.

The Syrian army had advanced in Aleppo on Friday, pounding rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and shelling.

Eight civilians were killed during regime shelling and air strikes in eastern Aleppo on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The regime bombardment has killed 225 civilians, including at least 27 children, in east Aleppo since November 15.

More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under siege for months in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, with dwindling food and fuel supplies.

(With inputs from AFP)

Their wins included Masaken Hanano, the largest rebel-held district in eastern Aleppo

Syrian regime forces took control of six rebel-held districts in eastern Aleppo over the weekend as they advanced their offensive to recapture Syria's second city. Their wins included Masaken Hanano, the largest rebel-held district in eastern Aleppo. Syrian forces also took control of Jabal Badra and Baadeeen and took three other districts on Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The monitor said that Inzarat, Al-Sakan al-Shaabi and Ain al-Tall have been taken over by government forces and the army has made large forays into Sakhur and nearby Haidariya. It said government forces are "in control of most of the northern part" of Aleppo. The Observatory also reported that more than 4,000 civilians had fled east Aleppo overnight Saturday "The rebels have lost at least 30 per cent of the territory they once controlled in Aleppo," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said, news agency AFP reported. "It is the first exodus of this kind from east Aleppo since 2012." Masaken Hanano was the first district to be taken by the rebels in 2012. The regime has focussed its attention on the Sakhur as they pound rebel positions in the district. Civilinas were taken "by the army to safe areas", official media said, AFP reported. Syrian state television broadcast images of a crowd gathered around green buses that it said had come to pick them up in Masaken Hanano, AFP said. "We are strengthening our positions to defend the city and residents, but the aircraft are destroying everything methodically, area by area," Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said of a regime campaign of air strikes, AFP reported. The Syrian army had advanced in Aleppo on Friday, pounding rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and shelling. Eight civilians were killed during regime shelling and air strikes in eastern Aleppo on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The regime bombardment has killed 225 civilians, including at least 27 children, in east Aleppo since November 15. More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under siege for months in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, with dwindling food and fuel supplies. (With inputs from AFP)

Syria forces retake 6 Aleppo rebel areas, civilians flee

Syrian state media reported on Saturday that the Syrian government forces have recaptured the largest rebel district in the east of battlefield city Aleppo.

State television said &quot;the armed forces retook full control&quot; of Masaken Hanano district. Operations were under way to clear it of mines and bombs, official news agency SANA said, AFP reported.

&quot;The armed forces retook full control of Masaken Hanano after having put an end to the presence of terrorists there,&quot; the state broadcaster said, referring to the rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, reported AFP.

The area around the district was also recaptured and &quot;army engineers are clearing it of bombs and explosives planted by the terrorists in the streets and squares&quot;, SANA reported.

The capture of Masaken Hanano in the northeast of Aleppo could give the army line-of-fire control over several other parts of the city&#39;s rebel-held east, AFP said.

The Syrian army had advanced in Aleppo on Friday, pounding rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and shelling.

The offensive to retake Aleppo, Syria&#39;s second city, is in its 12th day. The city was the economic capital before the war broke out in March 2011.

The regime bombardment has killed 212 civilians, including at least 27 children, in east Aleppo since November 15, a monitoring group said.

Eight civilians were killed during regime shelling and air strikes in eastern Aleppo on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

&quot;I&#39;m terrified by the army&#39;s advance and the increasing bombardment,&quot; Abu Raed, a father-of-four from the Fardos neighbourhood, told AFP. &quot;There&#39;s no safe place for me and my family.&quot;

Observatory head rami Abdel Rahman told AFP on Saturday that the government forces were in control of 80 per cent of Masaken Hanano and had the rest in their line of fire.

&quot;They just hundreds of metres (yards) away from isolating the northern districts of east Aleppo from the southern ones,&quot; he said.

More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under siege for months in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, with dwindling food and fuel supplies, AFP said.

(With inputs from AFP)

The capture of Masaken Hanano district could give the army line-of-fire control over several other parts of the city's rebel-held east

Syrian state media reported on Saturday that the Syrian government forces have recaptured the largest rebel district in the east of battlefield city Aleppo. State television said "the armed forces retook full control" of Masaken Hanano district. Operations were under way to clear it of mines and bombs, official news agency SANA said, AFP reported. "The armed forces retook full control of Masaken Hanano after having put an end to the presence of terrorists there," the state broadcaster said, referring to the rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, reported AFP. The area around the district was also recaptured and "army engineers are clearing it of bombs and explosives planted by the terrorists in the streets and squares", SANA reported. The capture of Masaken Hanano in the northeast of Aleppo could give the army line-of-fire control over several other parts of the city's rebel-held east, AFP said. The Syrian army had advanced in Aleppo on Friday, pounding rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods with air strikes and shelling. The offensive to retake Aleppo, Syria's second city, is in its 12th day. The city was the economic capital before the war broke out in March 2011. The regime bombardment has killed 212 civilians, including at least 27 children, in east Aleppo since November 15, a monitoring group said. Eight civilians were killed during regime shelling and air strikes in eastern Aleppo on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "I'm terrified by the army's advance and the increasing bombardment," Abu Raed, a father-of-four from the Fardos neighbourhood, told AFP. "There's no safe place for me and my family." Observatory head rami Abdel Rahman told AFP on Saturday that the government forces were in control of 80 per cent of Masaken Hanano and had the rest in their line of fire. "They just hundreds of metres (yards) away from isolating the northern districts of east Aleppo from the southern ones," he said. More than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under siege for months in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, with dwindling food and fuel supplies, AFP said. (With inputs from AFP)

Largest Aleppo rebel area retaken: Syrian state media