MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Militants suffered heavy losses in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo after their attempts to break through failed entirely, Chief of Russian General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov said Wednesday.
"All of the militants' attempts to break through in the city of Aleppo have been unsuccessful. The terrorists suffered heavy losses of manpower, weaponry and military equipment. They have no chance to escape from the city," Gerasimov said.
2 November 2016, 07:48 GMT
On October 20, the Russian "humanitarian pause" was introduced in Aleppo to ensure the safe evacuation of civilians from eastern part of the city via eight designated corridors. During the humanitarian pause, al-Nusra Front terrorist group, currently known as Jabhat Fatah al Sham, prevented civilians from fleeing the city, attacking them.
Aleppo has become the scene of ferocious battles between the Syrian army and the militants holding the city's eastern districts, with many international organizations voicing their concern about the civilian population trapped in the city torn by war.
