An operation to evacuate thousands of civilians and fighters from the last rebel bastion in Aleppo&nbsp;began on Thursday, part of a ceasefire deal that would end years of fighting for the city and mark a&nbsp;major victory for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;

A convoy of ambulances and buses with nearly 1,000 people aboard drove out of the devastated rebel-held area of Aleppo, which was besieged and bombarded for months by Syrian government forces, a&nbsp;Reuters reporter on the scene said.&nbsp;

Syrian state television reported later that a second convoy of 15 buses had also left.&nbsp;

Women cried out in celebration as the buses passed through a government-held area, and some waved&nbsp;the Syrian flag. Assad said in a video statement the taking of Aleppo was a historic moment.

An elderly woman, who had gathered with others in a government area to watch the convoy removing the&nbsp;rebels, raised her hands to the sky, saying: &quot;God save us from this crisis, and from the&nbsp;(militants). They brought us only destruction.&quot;

Wissam Zarqa, an English teacher in the rebel zone, said most people were happy to be leaving&nbsp;safely. But he said,&nbsp;&quot;Some of them are angry they are leaving their city. I saw some of them crying.&nbsp;This is almost my feeling in a way.&quot;

Earlier, ambulances trying to evacuate people came under fire from fighters loyal to the Syrian&nbsp;government, who injured three people, a rescue service spokesman said.

&quot;Thousands of people are in need of evacuation, but the first and most urgent thing is wounded, sick&nbsp;and children, including orphans,&quot; said Jan Egeland, the UN humanitarian adviser for Syria.

Behind those fleeing was a wasteland of flattened buildings, concrete rubble and bullet-pocked&nbsp;walls, where tens of thousands had lived until recent days under intense bombardment even after&nbsp;medical and rescue services had collapsed.

The once-flourishing economic centre with its renowned ancient sites has been pulverised during the&nbsp;war which has killed more than 300,000 people, created the world`s worst refugee crisis and allowed&nbsp;for the rise of Islamic State.

&quot;Place them all in IDLIB&quot;

Turkey is considering establishing a camp in Syria for civilians being evacuated from Aleppo and the&nbsp;number of people brought out of the city could reach 100,000, deputy prime minister Veysi Kaynak&nbsp;said.

In Aleppo&#39;s rebel-held area, columns of black smoke could be seen as residents hoping to depart&nbsp;burned personal belongings they do not want to leave for government forces to loot.

&quot;It&#39;s difficult to leave your belongings knowing that your enemy is going to use them. Thugs usually&nbsp;will take them ... They will take everything as a prize for kicking us out,&quot; Zarqa, the teacher,&nbsp;said.&nbsp;

A senior Russian general, Viktor Poznikhir, said the Syrian army had almost finished its operations&nbsp;in Aleppo.

However, the war will still be far from over, with insurgents retaining their rural stronghold of&nbsp;Idlib province to the&nbsp;southwest of Aleppo, and the jihadist Islamic State group holding swathes of&nbsp;the east and recapturing Palmyra this week.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said close to 1,000 civilians and 26 wounded, including&nbsp;several children, were evacuated, a total it expects to double by day&#39;s end. The ICRC said there was&nbsp;&quot;very light screening&quot; by Syrian authorities without identity checks and registrations.

Rebels and their families would be taken towards Idlib, a city in northwestern Syria which is&nbsp;outside government control, the Russian defence ministry said.

Idlib province, mostly controlled by hardline Islamist groups, is not a popular destination for&nbsp;fighters and civilians from east Aleppo, where nationalist rebel groups predominated.

A senior European diplomat said last week that the fighters had a choice between surviving for a few&nbsp;weeks in Idlib or dying in Aleppo. &quot;For the Russians it`s simple. Place them all in Idlib and then&nbsp;they have all their rotten eggs in one basket.&quot;&nbsp;

Idlib is already a target for Syrian and Russian air strikes but it is unclear if the government&nbsp;will push for a ground assault or simply seek to contain rebels there for now.

The International Rescue Committee said, &quot;Escaping Aleppo doesn&#39;t mean escaping the war ... After&nbsp;witnessing the ferocity of attacks on civilians in Aleppo, we are very concerned that the sieges and&nbsp;barrel bombs will follow the thousands who arrive in Idlib.&quot;&nbsp;

Britain&#39;s foreign secretary Boris Johnson said he had summoned the ambassadors of Russia and Iran to&nbsp;convey profound disquiet over Aleppo, saying it was crucial to protect civilians and deliver aid. UN&nbsp;chief Stephen O&#39;Brien will brief the Security Council on Friday on the Aleppo evacation.

Shi&#39;ite villages

The evacuation deal was expected to include the safe passage of wounded from the Shi&#39;ite villages of&nbsp;Foua and Kefraya near Idlib that are besieged by rebels. A convoy set off to evacuate the villages&nbsp;on Thursday, Syrian state media said.

Efforts to evacuate eastern Aleppo began earlier in the week with a truce brokered by Russia,&nbsp;Assad&#39;s most powerful ally, and Turkey, which has backed the opposition. That agreement broke down&nbsp;following renewed fighting on Wednesday and the evacuation did not take place then as planned.

A rebel official said a new truce came into effect early on Thursday. Shortly before the new deal&nbsp;was announced, clashes raged in Aleppo.

Government forces made a new advance in Sukkari -- one of a handful of districts still held by rebels&nbsp;-- and brought half of the neighbourhood under their control, according to the Syrian Observatory for&nbsp;Human Rights, a monitoring group.&nbsp;

The Russian defence ministry said - before the report of the government forces&#39; advance in Sukkari --&nbsp;that the rebels controlled an enclave of only 2.5 square km (1 square mile).&nbsp;

The evacuation plan was the culmination of two weeks of rapid advances by the Syrian army and its&nbsp;allies that drove insurgents back into an ever-smaller pocket of the city under intense air strikes&nbsp;and artillery fire.

By taking control of Aleppo, Assad has proved the power of his military coalition, aided by Russia`s&nbsp;air force and an array of Shi&#39;ite militias from across the region.&nbsp;

Rebels have been backed by the United States, Turkey and Gulf monarchies, but that support has&nbsp;fallen far short of the direct military assistance given to Assad by Russia and Iran.

Russia&#39;s decision to deploy its air force to Syria more than a year ago turned the war in Assad&#39;s&nbsp;favour after rebel advances across western Syria. In addition to Aleppo, he has won back insurgent&nbsp;strongholds near Damascus this year.&nbsp;

The government and its allies have focused the bulk of their firepower on fighting rebels in western 
Syria rather than Islamic State, which this week managed to take back the ancient city of Palmyra, 
once again illustrating the challenge Assad faces reestablishing control over all Syria.

(Reuters)

Rebels and their families will be taken towards Idlib, a city in northwestern Syria which is outside government control

An operation to evacuate thousands of civilians and fighters from the last rebel bastion in Aleppo began on Thursday, part of a ceasefire deal that would end years of fighting for the city and mark a major victory for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A convoy of ambulances and buses with nearly 1,000 people aboard drove out of the devastated rebel-held area of Aleppo, which was besieged and bombarded for months by Syrian government forces, a Reuters reporter on the scene said. Syrian state television reported later that a second convoy of 15 buses had also left. Women cried out in celebration as the buses passed through a government-held area, and some waved the Syrian flag. Assad said in a video statement the taking of Aleppo was a historic moment. An elderly woman, who had gathered with others in a government area to watch the convoy removing the rebels, raised her hands to the sky, saying: "God save us from this crisis, and from the (militants). They brought us only destruction." Wissam Zarqa, an English teacher in the rebel zone, said most people were happy to be leaving safely. But he said, "Some of them are angry they are leaving their city. I saw some of them crying. This is almost my feeling in a way." Earlier, ambulances trying to evacuate people came under fire from fighters loyal to the Syrian government, who injured three people, a rescue service spokesman said. "Thousands of people are in need of evacuation, but the first and most urgent thing is wounded, sick and children, including orphans," said Jan Egeland, the UN humanitarian adviser for Syria. 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 more than 300,000 people, created the world`s worst refugee crisis and allowed for the rise of Islamic State. "Place them all in IDLIB" Turkey is considering establishing a camp in Syria for civilians being evacuated from Aleppo and the number of people brought out of the city could reach 100,000, deputy prime minister Veysi Kaynak said. In Aleppo's rebel-held area, columns of black smoke could be seen as residents hoping to depart burned personal belongings they do not want to leave for government forces to loot. "It's difficult to leave your belongings knowing that your enemy is going to use them. Thugs usually will take them ... They will take everything as a prize for kicking us out," Zarqa, the teacher, said. A senior Russian general, Viktor Poznikhir, said the Syrian army had almost finished its operations in Aleppo. However, the war will still be far from over, with insurgents retaining their rural stronghold of Idlib province to the southwest of Aleppo, and the jihadist Islamic State group holding swathes of the east and recapturing Palmyra this week. The International Committee of the Red Cross said close to 1,000 civilians and 26 wounded, including several children, were evacuated, a total it expects to double by day's end. The ICRC said there was "very light screening" by Syrian authorities without identity checks and registrations. Rebels and their families would be taken towards Idlib, a city in northwestern Syria which is outside government control, the Russian defence ministry said. Idlib province, mostly controlled by hardline Islamist groups, is not a popular destination for fighters and civilians from east Aleppo, where nationalist rebel groups predominated. A senior European diplomat said last week that the fighters had a choice between surviving for a few weeks in Idlib or dying in Aleppo. "For the Russians it`s simple. Place them all in Idlib and then they have all their rotten eggs in one basket." Idlib is already a target for Syrian and Russian air strikes but it is unclear if the government will push for a ground assault or simply seek to contain rebels there for now. The International Rescue Committee said, "Escaping Aleppo doesn't mean escaping the war ... After witnessing the ferocity of attacks on civilians in Aleppo, we are very concerned that the sieges and barrel bombs will follow the thousands who arrive in Idlib." Britain's foreign secretary Boris Johnson said he had summoned the ambassadors of Russia and Iran to convey profound disquiet over Aleppo, saying it was crucial to protect civilians and deliver aid. UN chief Stephen O'Brien will brief the Security Council on Friday on the Aleppo evacation. Shi'ite villages The evacuation deal was expected to include the safe passage of wounded from the Shi'ite villages of Foua and Kefraya near Idlib that are besieged by rebels. A convoy set off to evacuate the villages on Thursday, Syrian state media said. Efforts to evacuate eastern Aleppo began earlier in the week with a truce brokered by Russia, Assad's most powerful ally, and Turkey, which has backed the opposition. That agreement broke down following renewed fighting on Wednesday and the evacuation did not take place then as planned. A rebel official said a new truce came into effect early on Thursday. Shortly before the new deal was announced, clashes raged in Aleppo. Government forces made a new advance in Sukkari -- one of a handful of districts still held by rebels -- and brought half of the neighbourhood under their control, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group. The Russian defence ministry said - before the report of the government forces' advance in Sukkari -- that the rebels controlled an enclave of only 2.5 square km (1 square mile). The evacuation plan was the culmination of two weeks of rapid advances by the Syrian army and its allies that drove insurgents back into an ever-smaller pocket of the city under intense air strikes and artillery fire. By taking control of Aleppo, Assad has proved the power of his military coalition, aided by Russia`s air force and an array of Shi'ite militias from across the region. Rebels have been backed by the United States, Turkey and Gulf monarchies, but that support has fallen far short of the direct military assistance given to Assad by Russia and Iran. Russia's decision to deploy its air force to Syria more than a year ago turned the war in Assad's favour after rebel advances across western Syria. In addition to Aleppo, he has won back insurgent strongholds near Damascus this year. The government and its allies have focused the bulk of their firepower on fighting rebels in western Syria rather than Islamic State, which this week managed to take back the ancient city of Palmyra, once again illustrating the challenge Assad faces reestablishing control over all Syria. (Reuters)

Syria rebels evacuate Aleppo after ceasefire deal

Despite repeated setbacks on the path to peace in war-wracked&nbsp;Syria, the United States and Russia will give diplomacy another chance, as Washington convenes international talks in Europe this weekend to try to secure a ceasefire that sticks.

Washington and Moscow, which officially cut off bilateral contact on the issue last week after a truce deal unraveled, on Wednesday announced two days of talks -- in Lausanne on Saturday&nbsp;and in London on Sunday.

The meetings come after&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;was plunged into some of the worst violence it has seen, as government forces backed by Russian airpower push a brutal assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo.

Fresh air strikes and artillery fire in Aleppo on Wednesday left at least seven people dead, an international monitor said, a day after Russia was accused of stepping up its raids on the city.

They also come with tensions high between Moscow and the West, which has accused Russia of potential war crimes over its bombing campaign.

In the Swiss city, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov should be joined by their counterparts from Turkey and Gulf countries.&nbsp;

Lavrov named Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar -- all backers of Syrian opposition forces -- as possible participants. But neither side confirmed an invitation to Iran, a key player in the conflict and an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Then in London, Kerry will likely meet up with his European counterparts -- from Britain, France and Germany.

Both meetings will focus on &quot;a multilateral approach to resolving the crisis in&nbsp;Syria, including a sustained cessation of violence and the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries,&quot; the State Department said Wednesday.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin &quot;expressed the hope that the meeting set for October 15 in Lausanne... will be productive and contribute in a concrete way to a resolution&quot; of the conflict, the Kremlin said.

French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Putin to push for a ceasefire, despite the repeated setbacks.

Lavrov, meanwhile, told CNN in an interview Wednesday that he hoped the weekend talks in Switzerland could help &quot;launch a serious dialogue&quot; based on the now-defunct US-Russian pact.

&quot;We would like to have a meeting in this narrow format, to have a businesslike discussion, not another General Assembly-like debate,&quot; Lavrov said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

No &#39;blackmail&#39;, says Putin

The United Nations said&nbsp;Syria&nbsp;envoy Staffan de Mistura had been invited to take part in the talks but a spokesman said he did not know if he would attend.

Hopes are rather low for a breakthrough to end the five-year conflict that has claimed some 300,000 lives.

The West has accused Russia of potential war crimes over its bombing campaign in Aleppo -- claims Putin dismissed as &quot;political rhetoric.&quot;

Some have even called for punitive measures against Moscow, though French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault cautioned against &quot;a cycle of sanctions for the sake of sanctions.&quot;

Russia has responded by bolstering its forces in the war-torn country.&nbsp;

Putin on Wednesday warned Western countries against imposing sanctions, stressing that Russia would not let itself be isolated.

&quot;We should not go down the path of pressure and blackmail but search for compromise,&quot; Putin said at an investment forum in Moscow.

&quot;I have said one hundred times that we are ready to search for these compromises. We would very much like that our partners treat us this way.&quot;

He also placed blame on the West for the dire situation.

&quot;I am deeply convinced that it is our Western partners, first and foremost of course the United States, who are responsible for the situation,&quot; he told France&#39;s TF1 television in an interview broadcast Wednesday.

Papal plea

Putin earlier this week cancelled a long-planned visit to France after Hollande insisted they discuss&nbsp;Syria, and on Wednesday slammed Paris for presenting a UN proposal on Aleppo at the weekend that Russia vetoed.

&quot;They put forward the resolution knowing that it would not pass... in order to incite a veto,&quot; Putin said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;Why? It was aimed at inflaming the situation and fanning hysteria around Russia.&quot;

The Lausanne talks will mark the first meeting between Kerry and Lavrov since the two countries froze talks on October 3, after the ceasefire they brokered quickly crumbled.

Washington and Moscow have traded blame in subsequent days, but in fact, the negotiations never really stopped, with Kerry and Lavrov speaking by telephone in recent days.

State Department spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday that for Kerry, the bilateral talks had been suspended but were &quot;not dead.&quot;

Kirby also emphasized the importance of both tracks of talks -- with Russia, which has &quot;the most influence on Assad,&quot; and with other regional players with &quot;influence on other units.&quot;

The United Nations has warned of the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe taking place in Aleppo, saying that the rebel-held territory could be destroyed entirely by the end of the year.

Pope Francis appealed on Wednesday for an immediate ceasefire in&nbsp;Syria, calling for &quot;at least&quot; a truce enabling civilians, especially children, to be evacuated, after Aleppo came under fierce air assault.&nbsp;

(AFP)

The decision to resume peace talks comes a week after both the US and Russia had officially cut off bilateral contact on the issue

Despite repeated setbacks on the path to peace in war-wracked Syria, the United States and Russia will give diplomacy another chance, as Washington convenes international talks in Europe this weekend to try to secure a ceasefire that sticks. Washington and Moscow, which officially cut off bilateral contact on the issue last week after a truce deal unraveled, on Wednesday announced two days of talks -- in Lausanne on Saturday and in London on Sunday. The meetings come after Syria was plunged into some of the worst violence it has seen, as government forces backed by Russian airpower push a brutal assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Fresh air strikes and artillery fire in Aleppo on Wednesday left at least seven people dead, an international monitor said, a day after Russia was accused of stepping up its raids on the city. They also come with tensions high between Moscow and the West, which has accused Russia of potential war crimes over its bombing campaign. In the Swiss city, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov should be joined by their counterparts from Turkey and Gulf countries. Lavrov named Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar -- all backers of Syrian opposition forces -- as possible participants. But neither side confirmed an invitation to Iran, a key player in the conflict and an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Then in London, Kerry will likely meet up with his European counterparts -- from Britain, France and Germany. Both meetings will focus on "a multilateral approach to resolving the crisis in Syria, including a sustained cessation of violence and the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries," the State Department said Wednesday. In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin "expressed the hope that the meeting set for October 15 in Lausanne... will be productive and contribute in a concrete way to a resolution" of the conflict, the Kremlin said. French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Putin to push for a ceasefire, despite the repeated setbacks. Lavrov, meanwhile, told CNN in an interview Wednesday that he hoped the weekend talks in Switzerland could help "launch a serious dialogue" based on the now-defunct US-Russian pact. "We would like to have a meeting in this narrow format, to have a businesslike discussion, not another General Assembly-like debate," Lavrov said. No 'blackmail', says Putin The United Nations said Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura had been invited to take part in the talks but a spokesman said he did not know if he would attend. Hopes are rather low for a breakthrough to end the five-year conflict that has claimed some 300,000 lives. The West has accused Russia of potential war crimes over its bombing campaign in Aleppo -- claims Putin dismissed as "political rhetoric." Some have even called for punitive measures against Moscow, though French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault cautioned against "a cycle of sanctions for the sake of sanctions." Russia has responded by bolstering its forces in the war-torn country. Putin on Wednesday warned Western countries against imposing sanctions, stressing that Russia would not let itself be isolated. "We should not go down the path of pressure and blackmail but search for compromise," Putin said at an investment forum in Moscow. "I have said one hundred times that we are ready to search for these compromises. We would very much like that our partners treat us this way." He also placed blame on the West for the dire situation. "I am deeply convinced that it is our Western partners, first and foremost of course the United States, who are responsible for the situation," he told France's TF1 television in an interview broadcast Wednesday. Papal plea Putin earlier this week cancelled a long-planned visit to France after Hollande insisted they discuss Syria, and on Wednesday slammed Paris for presenting a UN proposal on Aleppo at the weekend that Russia vetoed. "They put forward the resolution knowing that it would not pass... in order to incite a veto," Putin said. "Why? It was aimed at inflaming the situation and fanning hysteria around Russia." The Lausanne talks will mark the first meeting between Kerry and Lavrov since the two countries froze talks on October 3, after the ceasefire they brokered quickly crumbled. Washington and Moscow have traded blame in subsequent days, but in fact, the negotiations never really stopped, with Kerry and Lavrov speaking by telephone in recent days. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday that for Kerry, the bilateral talks had been suspended but were "not dead." Kirby also emphasized the importance of both tracks of talks -- with Russia, which has "the most influence on Assad," and with other regional players with "influence on other units." The United Nations has warned of the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe taking place in Aleppo, saying that the rebel-held territory could be destroyed entirely by the end of the year. Pope Francis appealed on Wednesday for an immediate ceasefire in Syria, calling for "at least" a truce enabling civilians, especially children, to be evacuated, after Aleppo came under fierce air assault. (AFP)

West, Russia renew efforts to forge durable Syria ceasefire

Regime ally Russia carried out its heaviest strikes in days on Syria&#39;s&nbsp;Aleppo&nbsp;on Tuesday, as rebel fire killed at least five schoolchildren in the war-torn country&#39;s south.

The raids in&nbsp;Aleppo&nbsp;killed 25 civilians, a monitor said, and caused massive damage in several residential areas of the city&#39;s rebel-held east.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile cancelled a trip to Paris in a row over the violence in Syria, where Moscow is helping President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s forces in an operation to recapture all of&nbsp;Aleppo.

Syria&#39;s army announced a bid last month to retake the city, which has been divided since mid-2012.

The assault began after the collapse of a short-lived truce negotiated by Washington and Moscow, and has seen the besieged east of the city come under fierce aerial assault.

The army said last Wednesday it would reduce its bombardment, after days of attacks that killed hundreds and destroyed the largest remaining hospital in the east.

But an AFP correspondent and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported renewed heavy bombing on Tuesday.

&quot;This is the heaviest Russian bombardment since the Syrian regime announced it would reduce the bombardment&quot; last week, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman.

The 25 dead, among them four children, were killed in raids in east&nbsp;Aleppo&nbsp;including in the districts of Bustan al-Qasr and Fardos, the Observatory said.

Children caught in crossfire

An AFP correspondent in Bustan al-Qasr saw a multi-storey residential building that had been destroyed, its facade sheared off.

White Helmets rescuers removed two lifeless toddlers from the building and wrapped them in sheets.

Footage by the&nbsp;Aleppo&nbsp;Media Centre activist group showed a toddler, blood smeared across her face, lying on a hospital bed.

An elderly man near her wailed in pain as a team of medics bent over him, calling out instructions to the nurses.

The Britain-based Observatory -- which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information -- says it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type, location, flight patterns and the munitions involved.

Backed by Russian air raids, government forces have been advancing street by street into rebel-held parts of&nbsp;Aleppo.

More than 300 people, mostly civilians, have been killed by government or Russian fire since the operation began, according to the Observatory.

Rebel forces were also firing on western government-held districts of&nbsp;Aleppo&nbsp;on Tuesday, with state news agency SANA reporting four dead and 14 wounded in rebel bombing of Hamdaniyeh district.

SANA also reported an unidentified number of injuries in a mortar shell attack near the famous Umayyad mosque in the Old City of Damascus.

An AFP correspondent reported intense mortar fire raining down on several neighbourhoods of the capital.

France-Russia tensions

Elsewhere, state media said five children were among six people killed in rebel rocket fire on a primary school in the southern city of Daraa.

The Observatory also reported the deaths, saying at least 25 people were wounded and the death toll could rise.

Rebels hold most of Daraa province, but the regional capital is largely controlled by the government.

The assault on&nbsp;Aleppo&nbsp;has sparked international condemnation, with fears for the fate of more than 250,000 civilians trapped inside the east of the city since the government imposed a siege in mid-July.

French President Francois Hollande Sunday described the&nbsp;Aleppo&nbsp;campaign as a war crime, a day after Moscow vetoed a French-drafted UN resolution on a halt to air strikes on the city.

In a sign of escalating tensions, the Kremlin Tuesday said Putin had called off an October 19 visit to inaugurate an Orthodox church in Paris, but was &quot;ready to visit when it is comfortable for President Hollande&quot;.

Moscow would &quot;wait for when that comfortable time comes,&quot; said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The French presidency said it had told the Kremlin Hollande would only meet Putin for a&nbsp;&quot;working meeting&quot; on Syria.

British foreign minister Boris Johnson meanwhile called for anti-war campaigners to protest outside the Russian embassy in London.

Johnson said the &quot;wells of outrage are growing exhausted&quot; and anti-war groups were not expressing sufficient outrage over&nbsp;Aleppo.

More than 300,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011, and more than half the population has been displaced.

(AFP)

The raids in?Aleppo?killed 25 civilians, a monitor said, and caused massive damage to the city's rebel-held east

Regime ally Russia carried out its heaviest strikes in days on Syria's Aleppo on Tuesday, as rebel fire killed at least five schoolchildren in the war-torn country's south. The raids in Aleppo killed 25 civilians, a monitor said, and caused massive damage in several residential areas of the city's rebel-held east. Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile cancelled a trip to Paris in a row over the violence in Syria, where Moscow is helping President Bashar al-Assad's forces in an operation to recapture all of Aleppo. Syria's army announced a bid last month to retake the city, which has been divided since mid-2012. The assault began after the collapse of a short-lived truce negotiated by Washington and Moscow, and has seen the besieged east of the city come under fierce aerial assault. The army said last Wednesday it would reduce its bombardment, after days of attacks that killed hundreds and destroyed the largest remaining hospital in the east. But an AFP correspondent and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported renewed heavy bombing on Tuesday. "This is the heaviest Russian bombardment since the Syrian regime announced it would reduce the bombardment" last week, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. The 25 dead, among them four children, were killed in raids in east Aleppo including in the districts of Bustan al-Qasr and Fardos, the Observatory said. Children caught in crossfire An AFP correspondent in Bustan al-Qasr saw a multi-storey residential building that had been destroyed, its facade sheared off. White Helmets rescuers removed two lifeless toddlers from the building and wrapped them in sheets. Footage by the Aleppo Media Centre activist group showed a toddler, blood smeared across her face, lying on a hospital bed. An elderly man near her wailed in pain as a team of medics bent over him, calling out instructions to the nurses. The Britain-based Observatory -- which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information -- says it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type, location, flight patterns and the munitions involved. Backed by Russian air raids, government forces have been advancing street by street into rebel-held parts of Aleppo. More than 300 people, mostly civilians, have been killed by government or Russian fire since the operation began, according to the Observatory. Rebel forces were also firing on western government-held districts of Aleppo on Tuesday, with state news agency SANA reporting four dead and 14 wounded in rebel bombing of Hamdaniyeh district. SANA also reported an unidentified number of injuries in a mortar shell attack near the famous Umayyad mosque in the Old City of Damascus. An AFP correspondent reported intense mortar fire raining down on several neighbourhoods of the capital. France-Russia tensions Elsewhere, state media said five children were among six people killed in rebel rocket fire on a primary school in the southern city of Daraa. The Observatory also reported the deaths, saying at least 25 people were wounded and the death toll could rise. Rebels hold most of Daraa province, but the regional capital is largely controlled by the government. The assault on Aleppo has sparked international condemnation, with fears for the fate of more than 250,000 civilians trapped inside the east of the city since the government imposed a siege in mid-July. French President Francois Hollande Sunday described the Aleppo campaign as a war crime, a day after Moscow vetoed a French-drafted UN resolution on a halt to air strikes on the city. In a sign of escalating tensions, the Kremlin Tuesday said Putin had called off an October 19 visit to inaugurate an Orthodox church in Paris, but was "ready to visit when it is comfortable for President Hollande". Moscow would "wait for when that comfortable time comes," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The French presidency said it had told the Kremlin Hollande would only meet Putin for a "working meeting" on Syria. British foreign minister Boris Johnson meanwhile called for anti-war campaigners to protest outside the Russian embassy in London. Johnson said the "wells of outrage are growing exhausted" and anti-war groups were not expressing sufficient outrage over Aleppo. More than 300,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011, and more than half the population has been displaced. (AFP)

Syria: Russia resumes bombing of Aleppo

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Syria rebels evacuate Aleppo after ceasefire deal

West, Russia renew efforts to forge durable Syria ceasefire

Syria: Russia resumes bombing of Aleppo