Even after the truce deal in place in Aleppo between the Syrian regime and the remaining rebels, reports state that pro-Damascus Shi'ite militias are obstructing the evacuation of people from the rebel-held areas of the eastern Aleppo, a Syrian rebel official said.
Syrian rebels prepared to withdraw from Aleppo on Wednesday after a ceasefire agreement was struck ending five years of violence in the Syrian city. The truce deal was struck after talks between Russia, President Assad's main ally in the war against rebels, and Turkey, a leading supporter of the rebels. This is the biggest victory for Bashar-al Assad's regime in the country yet.
The rebels relented to hand over the remaining besieged area to the government in exchange of evacuation of the rebels and civilians stranded in the region. The Assad regime has been backed by Shi'te militias from across Syria for his campaign against the rebels in eastern Aleppo.
According to Reuters reports, a military official in the pro-Assad alliance had said that evacuation process was scheduled to start at 5 am (0300 GMT). However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that no civilian or fighter had left eastern Aleppo as of 5 am.
"Iranian militias are turning people back," a Turkey-based official with an Aleppo rebel group Zakaria Malahifji told Reuters.
The report also stated that around 20 buses were parked on a main road outside the city with their engines on, waiting for the evacuees.
There were also reports of atrocities committed against civilians by the Syrian regime forces where in some cases the civilians took to the social media site Twitter to narrate their ordeal in real time and bid their goodbyes to the world.
I would like to thank all the humans whose stood for the humanity with our case, i will never forget you if we passed to the other life
— Monther Etaky (@montheretaky) December 12, 2016
the last massage. Thanks for everything. we shared many moments. The last tweets were from an emotiomal father. Farewell, #Aleppo
— @Mr.Alhamdo (@Mr_Alhamdo) December 12, 2016
"We hope one can help at least the children and women. They are in a great danger. Where is the UNICEF? This regime doesn't differentiate between women children or men," Abdulkafi Al-Hamdo, an activist and teacher living in the rebel-held section, told TIME in a text message.
