Senior Russian officer dies from wounds in Syria’s Aleppo

Russian Federation and Syria seem intent on presenting President-elect Donald Trump with a fait accompli in Syria by taking Aleppo, one of the last major cities in rebel hands. Syria’s former commercial hub – is captured by government troops, it would be a turning point in the conflict, putting the four largest cities in Syria and the coastal region back under state control.

Meanwhile, Kerry told reporters here that he was “not aware of any specific refusal” to meet with Lavrov.

Russian Federation is now demanding the departure of all opposition forces from Aleppo, not just those forces allied with terrorist groups like ISIS and al Qaeda.

The deputy USA envoy to the United Nations, Michele Sison, accused Moscow of using a “made-up alibi” to block the resolution.

In the meantime, jihadists who turn down all Damascus’ and Moscow’s proposals that they withdraw from the city, have intensified the shelling of civilian areas in the east of the city. The Observatory put the death toll in the two towns at 12, including three children.

On Monday, suspected Russian air raids killed at least 46 people in opposition-held parts of Syria, the monitoring monitor group said.

The recapture of Aleppo, long divided between government and opposition control in the country’s almost six-year civil war, is a strategic prize sought by President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Russia, Iran and Shi’ite fighters from Iraq, Lebanon and elsewhere.

The neighborhoods included al-Shaar, which a rebel official said on Monday was on the verge of falling. He said several were killed under government bombardment. It was following reports that U.S. and Russian officials were planning to hold talks in Geneva to discuss possible rebel withdrawal from areas they have held for years, where more than 100,000 people are believed to be trapped.

He also complained that it did not take into account an agreement between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to organize a group of experts on Aleppo.

While rebels have said they will not leave, one opposition official, who declined to be identified, conceded they may have no alternative for the sake of civilians who have been under siege for five months and faced relentless government assaults. “There is no other way”. He said that “serious conversations with our American partners are not working”.

Syrian rebels have left the last areas they held in Aleppo’s old city, while calling for a five-day truce to allow the evacuation of civilians. Vladimir Putins spokesperson said they were upset by the more than modest reaction by the global community to the tragedy which took place on 5 December in the Syrian city.

The Syrian Civil Defense first responder group said 65 civilians were killed in Sunday airstrikes across the province, including attacks on two rural marketplaces that killed dozens.

The Syrian government says it rejects any cease-fire for embattled Aleppo unless it includes the departure of all rebels from the eastern part of the city.

“Syria will not leave its citizens in east Aleppo to be held hostage by terrorists, and will exert every effort to liberate them”, said a foreign ministry statement carried by state news agency SANA.

After the Russian and Chinese veto at the Security Council, U.S. diplomats accused their Russian counterparts of stalling for time as Syrian government forces advance in Aleppo.

In Syria, army and allies pushed into rebel-held parts of Aleppo’s Old City looking closer than ever to achieving their most important victory by driving rebels out of their last urban stronghold.