Turkey Confirms Ceasefire, Evacuation Deal Reached In Aleppo

ANKARA, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Dec, 2016 ) - Turkey confirmed Tuesday that a ceasefire deal was agreed following talks between the Syrian opposition and Russia, which would mean rebels evacuating from war-ravaged eastern Aleppo.

The agreement comes as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime is close to recapturing all of east Aleppo, which rebels have held since 2012. "We can confirm there is a ceasefire in the city after talks between Russian military and the opposition in eastern Aleppo," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu told reporters.

The deal means civilians would be evacuated from the northern Syrian city followed by rebel fighters, the spokesman said.

A Turkish government official said the agreement came into force at 6:00 pm (1500 GMT).

"Our nation spent weeks trying to secure a humanitarian corridor. These efforts in the last days increased," Muftuoglu added. He warned that such a fragile situation in Syria required caution, although Turkey was pleased with the step taken to secure the ceasefire.

Ankara also confirmed the deal stipulated that those leaving would go to the northwest province of Idlib, almost completely controlled by a powerful rebel alliance known as the Army of Conquest.