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Russia Extends 'Humanitarian Pause' in Aleppo


FILE - Civil defense members and men inspect a site damaged after an airstrike in the besieged rebel-held al-Qaterji neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria, Oct. 11, 2016.
FILE - Civil defense members and men inspect a site damaged after an airstrike in the besieged rebel-held al-Qaterji neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria, Oct. 11, 2016.

Russia says it has ordered that a humanitarian pause in the Syrian city of Aleppo be extended for another 24 hours.

Syria and Russia halted airstrikes on Aleppo on Tuesday and the pause in fighting had been due to end at 7 p.m. local time Thursday.

As part of the truce, the Syrian army has opened up eight corridors civilians can use to safely exit the city. Two of those corridors have also been opened up to rebel fighters who wish to lay down their weapons and flee; one leading to Turkey and the other a pathway to the rebel-held province of Idlib.


The United Nations said about 250,000 civilians are in desperate need of supplies on Aleppo's eastern side and hundreds of others who urgently need of medical care also need to be evacuated.

U.N. and Red Cross trucks packed with supplies have been sitting near the Turkish border for weeks, awaiting guarantees the trucks can safely deliver relief supplies.

Syrian and Russians warplanes had been bombarding the area in an attempt to reclaim Aleppo from rebels.

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