On October 21, the Syrian city of Aleppo entered the second day of the so-called ‘ceasefire’. Indeed, the Syrian military and the Russian Aerospace Forces are the only sides that avoid clashes during last 2 days.
Few humanitarian corridors (opened for delivers of humanitarian aid and fleeing Aleppo citizens) came under fire. Reuters prefes to believe that the government forces were responsible for this (link):
But the truce was reported to have had little impact on the ground. Ammar Jaber, a correspondent for Orient News, a Dubai-based pro-opposition TV channel, said he had seen just a few civilians leaving at two of the crossings intended for evacuation.
Mr Jaber said Syrian government forces were targeting the corridors with sniper and rocket fire.
The question appears how 14 Syrian officials were killed and three Russian officers wounded as result of the first day of the ‘ceasefire’ then? Were they targeted themselves?
Meanwhile, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) and the so-called “mainstream rebel factions” dismissed Russia’s proposal to leave the city in order to avoid the casualties and prevented (by force) a major part of the local polulation from fleeing.
The attitude of militant groups and their Western backers allow little chances of halting military operations in Aleppo city. So, as soon as the humanitarian pause ended, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), Hezbollah and other pro-government groups will re-launch military operations in the city.
Photos – the militants’ mortar fire targets Aleppo’s residential area:
