Operation to evacuate eastern Aleppo has begun: Syrian official

A Syrian official source said on Thursday that an operation to organise the departure of fighters from eastern Aleppo had started.

A Syrian official source said on Thursday that an operation to organise the departure of fighters from eastern Aleppo had started.

Syrians walk over rubble of damaged buildings, while carrying their belongings, as they flee clashes between government forces and rebels in Tariq al-Bab and al-Sakhour neighborhoods of eastern Aleppo towards other rebel held besieged areas of Aleppo. (Reuters)

“The operation to organise the departure of gunmen from eastern Aleppo has now started,” the Syrian official source said.

The recent comments come after the cease-fire deal, mediated by Ankara and Moscow, unraveled amid fighting on Wednesday.

An opposition monitoring group says the operation has already begun but that could not immediately be independently confirmed. —Bassem Mroue in Beirut

Read: Rebel officials say Aleppo evacuation plan back on track