Turkey Says Evacuation Of Rebel Aleppo 'not Over'
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published December 16, 2016 | 06:05 PM
ISTANBUL, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Dec, 2016 ) - Turkey on Friday insisted that the evacuation of rebels and their families from the eastern sector of Syria's Aleppo was not finished, contradicting a statement by the Russian defence ministry.
"The evacuations are not over and many people still want to leave the area," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a press conference in Ankara after the Russian ministry said the vast operation, which began on Thursday, was "complete".
Moscow had said only "radical and intransigent" militants were left in eastern Aleppo. Adding to the confusion, a Syrian military source told AFP that the operation was "suspended" but not over.
Cavusoglu said "7,500 people had been saved" so far during the evacuation, while the Russian army said it had escorted out 9,500 people in total, including 4,500 rebels and 337 injured people. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, gave its estimate for the number evacuated at 8,500 including 3,000 fighters, while official Syrian media spoke of 8,000 evacuees.
"Some of them will want to stay in Idlib," Cavusoglu said in reference to the northwestern Syrian opposition stronghold where many of the Aleppo evacuees have been sent. "They are free to do so," the Turkish foreign minister added.
"But we have finished our preparations for setting up camps at our border to help those in need." According to the Turkish Red Cross, Turkish aid groups are preparing a 10,000-tent camp for those evacuated from Aleppo province near the two countries' shared border.
"Our health ministry has mobilised to offer them help," Cavusoglu said. The delicate operation to evacuate remaining civilians and fighters from east Aleppo began on Thursday afternoon and continued through the night.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Sindh home minister chairs law and order meeting
Bakht Kakar orders to ensure maximum facilities in livestock sector
NEPRA concludes hearing into FCA of DISCOs for March
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
Chairman COPHC lauds MoMA’s efforts at Gwadar Port, Free Zone
CM’s aide directs steps to prevent domestic violence against women
LESCO detects 74,621 power pilferers in 220 days
Regional Police officer (RPO) Shariq Kamal Siddiqui holds open court
LESCO collects over Rs 4.36m from 189 defaulters in 24 hours
Secretary health urges public to follow precautionary measures to avoid spreadin ..
PM directs formation of committee for consultation with provinces on carbon cred ..
UAF to ink MoU with Ethiopian universities
More Stories From World
-
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
8 minutes ago -
Romania court opens way for start of influencer Tate's trial
30 minutes ago -
Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70
30 minutes ago -
At least 10 people killed in Brazil fire: officials
30 minutes ago -
Russia targets Ukraine railways as Western aid due to arrive
1 hour ago -
Miner Anglo American rejects BHP's near $39-billion takeover bid
1 hour ago
-
At least 10 people killed in Brazil fire: officials
1 hour ago -
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
1 hour ago -
Saudi to host top Arab, EU diplomats for Gaza talks: officials
1 hour ago -
Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70: govt
1 hour ago -
US Fed's favored inflation measure accelerates in March
2 hours ago -
Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70: govt
2 hours ago