ANKARA (Sputnik) — Approximately 40,000 residents have been evacuated from the northern Syrian city of Aleppo following extensive consultations with Russia and Iran, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Thursday.
"We conducted a large number of diplomatic contacts with Russia and Iran. As a result, 40,000 civilians have been evacuated from the combat zone," Yildirim said in an address to ruling party activists in Ankara.
The Turkish head of government noted that the evacuations took place in spite of "those who do not want an end to war in the region."
"It did not come easily to us… However, with close contacts and diplomatic efforts, we were able to do it and we are continuing our work," Yildirim added.
