Rebel evacuation from Syria's Aleppo due to start

The evacuation of the remaining rebels from Syria's northern city of Aleppo will start soon, the Syrian army said on Thursday.

Following intense negotiations, a ceasefire returns in place for the evacuation of the rebels from the few areas they are still holding in the eastern part of Aleppo city, said the report, adding that the evacuation will start within hours.

Preparations are ongoing for the evacuation of the rebels from eastern Aleppo toward the town of Khan Tuman southwest of Aleppo.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the first convoy of wounded people started leaving eastern Aleppo toward the government-controlled part west of the city.

The UK-based watchdog group noted the rebel convoys haven't started leaving yet.

The rebel evacuation from the few areas under their control in eastern Aleppo comes as a result of a Turkish-Russian deal, which was supposed to begin on Wednesday morning, but was delayed and fight resumed for undeclared reasons, before Thursday morning, as the deal seems in place again.

(APD)