Arab League urges immediate cease-fire in Aleppo

Arab League (AL) Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit urged on Tuesday an immediate cease-fire in conflict-hit Aleppo.

Abul Gheit condemned in a statement the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Aleppo and the brutal practices over the past few days against civilians.

"Out of what happens now in Aleppo, we can smell revenge from the government forces and the militia that help it against the unarmed civilians," the AL chief said.

He called on all parties to respect the international humanitarian law and stop committing practices, executions and crimes that no one could stand silent toward it ethically and legally.

He added though the pan-Arab organization does not have the power to take action concerning the Syrian crisis, it would not stop criticizing heinous crimes in Syria.

He reiterated the Pan Arab organization will continue working with the concerned parties to stop bloodshed in Syria.

The fighting and bombardment in Syria have recently escalated in war-torn Aleppo city, which is divided between Syria's government troops supported by Russian forces in the western part and the armed rebels in the east.

Tens of thousands of people fled eastern Aleppo in the past couple of weeks, with local media reporting the number at 85,000 civilians.

The Syrian army said on Monday that the offensive will continue until Aleppo is completely freed from rebel control.

Since it erupted in March 2011, the Syrian crisis has claimed the lives of about 500,000 people and displaced more than 10 million. Endit