Aleppo: Evacuation plan back on track

The evacuation of rebels and civilians from parts of Aleppo taken by Syrian forces is back on track despite clashes during the night, world media report, Patria reports.

The organization of the evacuation is underway, with the International Red Cross playing an important role.

A ceasefire was renewed on Thursday half an hour after midnight, and a Reuters reporter reports that gunfire and explosions have not been heard since the early morning hours.

If the evacuation is successful, it will mark the end of years of fighting for the city and a major victory for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The ceasefire agreement reached yesterday was not respected, and fighting once again shook the city, claiming new civilian casualties.

Iran, one of Assad's key allies, imposed new conditions – the simultaneous evacuation of the wounded from two villages held by rebels.

At the end of Wednesday, rebel representatives agreed to the Iranian demand to allow the evacuation from the Shiite villages, and the ceasefire agreement was renewed.

The first ceasefire was reached on Tuesday with the participation of Russia, Assad's most powerful ally, and the Turkish-backed opposition. However, the planned evacuation failed; instead, shelling and gunfire continued, while Turkey accused government forces of violating the ceasefire.

The head of the UN Human Rights Office, Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, described the bombing by the Syrian government and its allies as a "war crime".

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed on Wednesday to make a joint effort to restore the ceasefire and evacuation.