Syria military source confirms Aleppo truce deal, evacuation of rebels
The UN human rights office cited reports that at least 82 people had been killed on the streets while fleeing or in their homes in four different neighborhoods in the last few days.
By REUTERSPeople inspect a damaged site after airstrikes on the rebel held Tariq al-Bab neighbourhood of Aleppo, Syria. (photo credit: REUTERS)
A Syrian military source confirmed on Tuesday that an Aleppo ceasefire deal had been reached, and said evacuations of rebel fighters would begin at 5 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Wednesday.The rebels would leave towards the western Aleppo countryside, the source said.Meanwhile, the United Nations said on Tuesday it had reports that Syrian government troops and an allied Iraqi militia had deliberately shot dead scores of men, women and children in eastern Aleppo, and warned the same "slaughter" could happen elsewhere.The UN human rights office cited reports that at least 82 people had been killed on the streets while fleeing or in their homes in four different neighborhoods in the last few days."The crushing of Aleppo, the immeasurably terrifying toll on its people, the bloodshed, the wanton slaughter of men, women and children, the destruction - and we are nowhere near the end of this cruel conflict," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said in a statement.The Syrian army and its allies have taken full control of all Aleppo districts abandoned by rebels during their retreat in the city, a Syrian military source said on Tuesday.Zeid said Syria must allow monitoring of its treatment of people fleeing eastern Aleppo, including those detained."What is happening with Aleppo could repeat itself in Douma, in Raqqa, in Idlib. We cannot let this continue," he said, referring to other rebel-held towns.Earlier, his spokesman Rupert Colville said the UN feared retribution against thousands of civilians believed to be holed up in a "hellish corner" of less than a square kilometer of opposition-held territory. Its capture was imminent, he said."In all, as of yesterday (Monday) evening we have received reports of pro-government forces killing least 82 civilians, including 11 women and 13 children, in four different neighborhoods - Bustan al-Qasr, al-Fardous, Al-Kalasah and al-Saliheen," Colville told a news briefing.He named the Iraqi armed group Harakat al-Nujaba as reportedly involved in the killings."The reports we had are of people being shot in the street trying to flee and shot in their homes," Colville said, adding that the UN had the names of the 82."There could be many more," he said.