Syria’s President Congratulates Nation on Liberation of Aleppo

Local Editor

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday congratulated the Syrians on the "liberation" of Aleppo, as the last militant pocket of the city had been evacuated.

In a video posted on the Syrian presidency's official social media accounts, al-Assad said the "liberation" was "history in the making and worthy of more than the word ‘congratulations'."

"What is happening today is the writing of a history written by every Syrian citizen. The writing did not start today, it started six years ago when the crisis and war started against Syria," he added.

"I think that after the liberation of Aleppo we'll talk about the situation as ... before the liberation of Aleppo and after the liberation of Aleppo," he said.

A Syrian official source said almost 1,000 people had left eastern Aleppo in the first convoy, comprising women, children and the wounded.

Later in the day, a second convoy of 15 buses left the countryside for government-held parts, according to Syrian state television.

He said 951 people, including 200 militants and 108 wounded made up the convoy.

The World Health Organization [WHO] announced that 21 buses and 19 ambulances carrying civilians and wounded have left eastern Aleppo.

Russia's Defense ministry also announced that the first bus convoy meant to evacuate terrorists was leaving Aleppo's east.

The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed that efforts had started to pull out some 200 wounded people as part of a ceasefire deal.

Newly-released drone footage showed buses and ambulances moving into the besieged areas of the city.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the evacuation of 5,000 militants and their family members from eastern Aleppo has begun, the TASS news agency reported.

An unnamed Russian military official said the evacuations would be carried out through a 21-kilometer-long humanitarian corridor.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team