The Russian and Syrian air forces halted all air strikes on Aleppo, two days ahead of a planned ceasefire, designed to allow rebels and civilians to leave the city. The move comes after a promise made by Moscow to halt strikes on Thursday for eight hours. Speaking at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin urged countries to influence moderate opposition forces to separate from Al-Qaeda linked groups, including the Nusra Front, and leave the eastern part of the besieged city.
“We believe that under the circumstances it is extremely important for member states with influence on the armed opposition groups in eastern Aleppo and beyond to intensify efforts to separate expeditiously all moderate opposition forces from terrorist entities designated by the Security Council. We believe also that it is extremely important under the circumstances for all parties to prevent material and financial support from reaching individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with terrorist groups designated by the Security Council, and we strongly insist that any parties stop fighting in collaboration with them, separate from them and formally subscribe to the cessation of hostilities,” said Churkin.
Russia has permitted moderate rebels to leave the city, with their weapons, via two special corridors unhindered, while warning that if they decided to stay in the city and fight alongside the Nusra Front… – an al-Qaeda linked group that is considered to be one of the most powerful rebel forces in Syria’s conflict, and has joined forces with Western backed groups to battle President Assad’s forces renaming themselves Jabhat Fattah al Sham – …Churkin warned they will face some “unpleasant consequences.”
“Either they move out of the city or they separate from Nusra and they recommit themselves to the cessation of hostilities regime. But something needs to be done about Nusra. First of all the moderates need to be separated from them, and then Nusra has to leave the city, or it will become threatened by some unpleasant consequences,” warned Churkin.
According to Russia, military experts would meet in Geneva to start working on separating “terrorist entities” from Syria’s moderate opposition.