Syrian Opposition Vows ‘No Surrender’ in Aleppo

Meanwhile, around 30,000 people are receiving aid after fleeing the besieged eastern zone of Aleppo in the past few days, taking the total number of displaced people in the Syrian city to more than 400,000, United Nations special envoy Staffan de Mistura said.

Staffan de Mistura says the enhanced presence also aims to “deter possible mishandling” of at least 27,000 people who have fled from eastern to western Aleppo or nearby Kurdish-held areas as Syrian forces and their Russian backers advance into rebel zones.

“I am extremely concerned about the fate of civilians as a result of the deeply alarming and chilling situation unfolding in Aleppo city”, U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O’Brien said in a statement.

Government forces have retaken more than a third of the rebel-held eastern part of Aleppo since the weekend.

Steffan de Mistura told the council that over the last two weeks, government forces have recaptured nearly 40 percent of the area in Aleppo previously held by opposition groups forcing thousands to flee.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens more were wounded in the artillery fire on the rebel-held Jubb Al-Qubbeh district.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces intensified their push for control over eastern Aleppo earlier this month. Doctor Abdul, working out of a makeshift facility, said that the decimated medical services – east Aleppo has approximately 30 doctors left – were struggling to cope.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday that the Syrian army had cleared Castello Road, a key artery and supply line in Aleppo, so the United Nations can deliver humanitarian aid.

Zakaria Malahifji, the head of the political office of the Aleppo-based Fastaqim rebel group, told Reuters on Wednesday that rebel groups in the city had rejected any withdrawal. “Rebels denied this, saying the government’s advance had been repelled”.

The assault by Syrian forces comes amid warnings the city could witness one of the biggest massacres since the Second World War as President Assad’s troops continue their offensive to re-take the city.

The besieged rebel-held areas have suffered a sustained campaign of indiscriminate shelling with Assad army launching a final offensive to crash the opposition before the new USA administration takes office.

The International Committee of the Red Cross says around 20,000 people have fled.

He said time was of the essence and urged Prime Minister Theresa May to confirm what steps were being taken to alleviate the suffering of Syrians.

The biting cold and rain did not stop the fighting along multiple frontlines on Thursday, the observatory said.

About 50,000 people have been displaced in parts of east Aleppo.

The Syrian Civil Defence search-and-rescue group put the death toll at 45 and blamed the government for the strike.