Russia Syria halting Aleppo airstrikes

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian and Syrian warplanes on Tuesday halted their airstrikes on Syria’s besieged city of Aleppo in preparation for a temporary truce that Moscow has announced for later in the week, the Russian defense minister said.

 

According to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the halt in the strikes should help pave way for militants to leave the eastern rebel-held parts of the contested city.

 

Both Russian and Syrian air raids on Aleppo were suspended on 10 a.m., Shoigu said, describing the suspension as a precursor for the opening of humanitarian corridors for the rebels to leave Aleppo on Thursday, for when Moscow has announced a “humanitarian pause” between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to allow civilians and militants safe passage out of the city.

 

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