Russia sets conditions for extending ceasefire around Aleppo
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that its ready to consider extending the so-called “humanitarian pause” in Aleppo as soon as the UN representatives in Syria officially confirm their readiness and ability to deliver humanitarian aid to the city and and evacuate the injured, women and children.
“The main condition for extending the humanitarian pause in Aleppo is the readiness of the UN humanitarian mission in Syria to deliver the humanitarian aid to the eastern part of the city and also evacuate the injured and sick people,” stated the Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman, Igor Konashenkov.
According to him, “the experience from the previous “humanitarian pauses” showed that that all the assurances from the UN representatives about “arrangements with the militants in Aleppo” are nothing but empty words”.
“Any attempts of the humanitarian convoys of any organization, trying to deliver the aid to the residents of Aleppo, to even approach the humanitarian corridors leading to the city end with the shelling from the militant positions. Also the trucks cannot proceed further due to the mines on the roads and streets,” Konashenkov stressed.
“That is why the Russian Ministry of Defense will be able to consider the possibility of a new “humanitarian pause” as soon as the representatives of the humanitarian mission of the UN in Syria confirm their readiness and ability to deliver the humanitarian aid to Aleppo and evacuate the injured and sick residents from there,” Konashenkov added.