Ceasefire in Aleppo

MOSCOW: Russia has confirmed to the UN that there will be four 11-hour humanitarian pauses in attacks in the Syrian city of Aleppo that started yesterday, senior adviser to UN Special Envoy for Syria, Jan Egeland, said.

A humanitarian pause in Russian and Syrian airstrikes on terrorist positions came into force in Aleppo earlier. It was to last until 7pm local time. Civilians were encouraged to leave the war zone through six corridors, while two others were reserved for militants willing to lay down their arms.

“The Russian Federation has confirmed that we will have 11 hours per day… We are still unclear whether we will have four days or can go until Monday but we hope so because we need experience in this very difficult situation…

“They have said 11 hours per day, four days from yesterday,” Egeland told a briefing.

The official added that the UN had requested from Russia an extra day of humanitarian pauses earlier yesterday.

“Armed opposition groups say they will enable this to happen,” Egeland added.