1st LD: Syrian army enters Aleppo's ancient citadel

After capturing the old city of Aleppo, Syrian forces entered the historic citadel of Aleppo on Wednesday, meeting with a military unit that has been besieged in the time-honored place, a military source told Xinhua.

The unit met with the storming military forces, who have captured all of the old city of Aleppo, and entered the citadel from its main gate, the source said, on condition of anonymity.

Before the recently military offensive in Aleppo, the citadel was almost besieged by the rebels, and the military forces inside used to go out and in via sub routes and in armored vehicles.

Parts of the citadel were also under the control of the rebels, who reportedly withdrew from their positions on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said Syrian airstrikes targeted rebel positions near the citadel, after they fired mortar shells that slammed the citadel, causing no casualties.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian army has become in control of 80 percent of the rebel-held part in eastern Aleppo.

The army unleashed its offensive two weeks ago against the rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo, as part of the major offensive launched recently to liberate the eastern part of the city from any rebel presence.

Over 30,000 civilians have fled eastern Aleppo over the past two weeks toward government-controlled areas in the western part of the city. The rebels captured eastern Aleppo in 2012.

Humanitarian organizations sounded the alarm about the situation of 250,000 people living in eastern Aleppo, with the government promising to fix the situation of those relocated in government-controlled areas. Endit