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Russian military ready to support 48-hours pause in Syrian Aleppo

Xinhua, August 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russia's Defense Ministry said Thursday it was ready to support the proposal of the United Nations' (UN) Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura for a 48-hour humanitarian pause in Syria's northern city Aleppo.

"We are ready to implement next week the first 48-hour humanitarian pause to supply Aleppo civilians with humanitarian aid as a pilot project and to confirm the safe delivery of the goods to the population of the city," the ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

A more precise date and time will be determined after receiving information about the readiness of the convoys from the UN representatives and the United States would provide security guarantees of their safe travel, Konashenkov said.

He said humanitarian aid should be delivered by two different routes to both the eastern part of Aleppo controlled by rebels and its western part controlled by government forces.

Aleppo, strategically located near Syria's border with Turkey, is Syria's largest city and was once an economic hub. It is now a focal point of clashes between the Syrian army and the rebels.

Russia and Syria have opened six humanitarian corridors for civilians to leave the city and to provide aid to those who decide to stay, as well as another for the safe passage of militants who lay down arms. Endi