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UN Security Council to vote Monday on UN Aleppo observers: diplomat

Xinhua, December 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

The UN Security Council will vote Monday on a draft resolution aimed at sending UN observers to monitor evacuations from besieged parts of Syria's war-torn Aleppo, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters here on Sunday.

Power said the new text requests UN Secretary-General to mobilize as many UN personnel as possible to get into Aleppo. "We expect to vote unanimously for this text tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. (1400 GMT)."

Earlier on Sunday, the Security Council discussed behind closed door two draft resolutions submitted by France and Russia on how to provide the UN with unimpeded access to monitor the evacuations and also the protection of civilians inside Aleppo.

The French-drafted resolution asked for immediate deployment of UN observers, while the Russian document demanded Syrian government's approval before sending any UN personnel into the area.

After hours of discussion, diplomats said they came up with one text and will vote on tomorrow morning.

Once Syria's commercial hub, Aleppo has been divided roughly in two since 2012, with western parts under government control and eastern districts held by rebels.

The situation in Aleppo has deteriorated rapidly after a truce accord collapsed in September. According to the UN, tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped in Aleppo and are subjected to air strikes. Enditem