The situation in Syria’s Aleppo remains extremely difficult, the al-Nusra Front terrorists have intensified shelling of residential areas, the Russian General Staff said Monday.
"The situation in Aleppo remains extremely difficult. The militants of the Nusra Front terrorist group, understanding that they are doomed, have intensified shelling of residential areas in western Aleppo," Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate, told reporters.
According to the official, the militants carry out public executions of those who attempt to leave the city’s eastern districts.
"These facts are ignored by the Western countries. They do not want to either record militants’ crimes, neither react to them," Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate, told reporters.
More than 130 children have been killed since the beginning og Spetember in shelling of civilian infrastructure by militants in Aleppo, he said.
"Shelling of social objects such as schools, mosques, markets in western Aleppo by militants has become systematic. Thus, seven schoolchildren were killed in mortar shelling in the Sulaymaniyah district, while more than 130 children were killed by militants since the beginning of September," Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate, told reporters.
Russia calls "on the terrorists' leadership to demine routes of approach to the humanitarian corridors and give residents opportunity to leave eastern Aleppo," Rudskoy said.
A humanitarian pause will be introduced around Syria's besieged city of Aleppo from 08:00 to 16:00 local time on October 20, the Russian General Staff said Monday.
"Russian combat planes and Syrian government forces will not carry strikes during this period," Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate, told reporters in Moscow.
According to Rudskoy, the militants could use two secure corridors to leave eastern Aleppo heading to Idlib.
Rudskoy stressed that Russia is ready to stop airstrikes in Aleppo on request by humanitarian groups at any time, while guaranteeing access of medics and rescue of wounded and ill.
"Russia is willing to discuss any initiatives or proposals on resolving the crisis in Aleppo," the general added.
