Russian Military: Liberation of E Aleppo from Militant’s Complete

Local Editor

The liberation of eastern Aleppo has been completed, according to the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation. Syrian government forces are now tackling separate pockets of militant resistance.

"The operation by the Syrian Army aimed at liberating the militant-controlled neighborhoods of eastern Aleppo has been completed. The Syrian government forces continue to eliminate isolated pockets of militant resistance," the Center for Reconciliation said in a statement.

All women and children had been evacuated from militant-occupied parts of eastern Aleppo, and only radicals now remain there, the Center confirmed earlier. The militants that remain had been firing at the Syrian forces.

"All women and children who were in militant-controlled districts have been evacuated," the center stated.

"The operation of the Russian Center for Reconciliation to evacuate militants and their families from the eastern districts of Aleppo is now complete," the center said in a statement.

It added that over 4,500 militants had been evacuated along with their families, as well as 337 wounded.

A total of over 9,500 people had been moved out of the militant-occupied eastern Aleppo since the operation was launched on Thursday.

The evacuees from the last convoy told authorities that everyone who wanted to leave the militant-occupied area had done so.

"In some areas, there are still groups of militants from radical and irreconcilable gangs, who are firing at Syria troops," the statement noted. It added that Syrian Army units are continuing the liberation of the militant-held districts of the city.

According to the latest figures from the Russian Defense ministry, only 2 percent of Aleppo is still controlled by militants.

Earlier reports said that the militants opened fire on one of the convoys that was taking citizens out of eastern Aleppo and attempted to take hostages. A source in the militia headquarters also reportedly told Reuters that the militants had evacuated everyone they planned to evacuate, and those who stayed did so to fight.

"Those who stayed refused to leave and took up defense. The proof of their decision to stay is the [recent] shelling of a number of civilian neighborhoods," the source is cited as saying.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team