Russian MoD: The UN's 'unwillingness' caused the ceasefire in Aleppo to break down
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the reason for the breakdown of the humanitarian cease fire in Aleppo is the unwillingness of the UN, as was stated by the official representative of the Defense Ministry, Major General Igor Konashenkov.
According to him, Russia has “repeatedly imposed” humanitarian pauses in Aleppo “for different periods of time.”
“Each time they break down for two reasons: UN representatives are not ready to deliver humanitarian assistance, and terrorists in Aleppo are not aware that somebody allegedly agreed to the evacuation of local citizens,” Konashenkov said.
He added that during the last humanitarian pause, two officers from the Russian Reconciliation Center who were waiting for the humanitarian convoy to enter the city, were injured “as a result of mortar fire from the eastern district of Aleppo.”
Earlier, on 12 November, the Ministry of Defense stated that the conditions for the next humanitarian pause in Aleppo should be the readiness of the UN Humanitarian Mission in Syria to organize the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the eastern district of the city and also medical evacuations.
On 24 November, Syrian rebels in Aleppo agreed to the UN proposal on the humanitarian assistance delivery. According to the Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch, Jan Egeland, the organization is waiting for Russia’s and Syria’s approval, Reuters reports.