Syrian Army's Operation to Liberate Militants-Controlled East Aleppo Ends

Sputnik News

14:55 16.12.2016(updated 16:06 16.12.2016)

The Syrian army's operation to liberate militants-controlled eastern Aleppo has ended, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"The operation of the Syrian army on the liberation of militants-controlled eastern districts of Aleppo has been completed."

According to the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation, the Syrian government forces are eliminating separate hotbeds of militants' resistance in Aleppo.

Earlier in the day, a Syrian state-run TV channel reported that militants shelled an evacuation corridor from eastern Aleppo in the Ramuse district and violated an agreement with the Syrian government by attempting to take hostages with them. The Syrian army has been sent to the area.

On Thursday, the Russian General Staff said that a total of 105 districts in Aleppo had been freed by the Syrian army.

Syrian President Bashar Assad called the liberation of Aleppo a "watershed moment" on Thursday.

An operation to evacuate militants and their families, as well as civilians who wanted to leave eastern Aleppo, had been held with the assistance of the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation and the ICRC staff. Currently, the evacuation "of all those who wanted to leave eastern Aleppo" has ended.

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