Russia announces daily ceasefires in Syria's Aleppo to let in aid
Russia said on August 10 there would be daily three-hour ceasefires in Syria's Aleppo starting on August 11 to allow humanitarian convoys to enter the city safely, a proposal which the United Nations said it would consider.
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Sergei Rudskoy, head of Russian General Staff's main operations command, arrives for a news briefing on Syria, in Moscow, Russia, August 10, 2016.
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On August 5, rebels staged a major assault southwest of Aleppo to break this siege. Rebel fighters did manage to pierce the ring of government-controlled territory, but a safe corridor for civilians and aid has not yet been established as fierce fighting continues.
Speaking at a televised briefing, Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi, a senior Russian Defence Ministry official, said the pause in fighting would run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time.
Rudskoi said the question of joint control over delivery of humanitarian aid via Castello Road was being discussed with the United Nations and the United States.
He said "all military action, air and artillery strikes" would be halted for the three-hour periods.
"This is to ensure that all interested organizations have the opportunity to deliver their humanitarian assistance to the residents of Aleppo," Rudskoi said.
He added that Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against rebels in Syria's five-year-old civil war, would work with Damascus to ensure safe delivery of the aid.
A spokesman for a major rebel group fighting inside Aleppo told Reuters it was skeptical of the Russian plan.
Air strikes killed at least 19 people and wounded dozens in rebel-held Idlib province, southwest of Aleppo, on August 10. One Idlib town, Saraqeb, has received daily heavy air strikes since a Russian helicopter was shot down nearby 10 days ago.
