Accessibility links

Breaking News

Syrian Government Forces Advance Further In Aleppo


Syrian pro-government forces sit on a military vehicle driving past residents fleeing the eastern part of Aleppo on November 30.
Syrian pro-government forces sit on a military vehicle driving past residents fleeing the eastern part of Aleppo on November 30.

Syrian government forces and their allies have captured the Tariq al-Bab district of eastern Aleppo, the government and the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

The advance on December 3 means that the government has retaken about 60 percent of eastern Aleppo from antigovernment rebels and has reestablished control of a key road between the government-held western part of the city and Aleppo’s airport, which the government also holds.

Meanwhile, in Moscow on December 3, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov sharply criticized the United Kingdom for not providing aid to civilians in the beleaguered city.

“Over the years of the war in Syria, the United Kingdom has not provided a gram of flour, a tablet of medicine, or a single blanket to help civilians,” he said.

Konashenkov’s comments come one day after a spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May was quoted as saying Russia was hampering the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Aleppo.

According to the British government’s website, the United Kingdom has provided almost $3 billion worth of crisis aid to Syria since 2012, primarily through allocations to UN agencies and other “implementing partners.” The program has included more than 16 million “monthly rations” of food and nearly 4 million medical consultations for civilians in Syria.

With reporting by AFP and TASS
  • 16x9 Image

    RFE/RL

    RFE/RL journalists report the news in 27 languages in 23 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established. We provide what many people cannot get locally: uncensored news, responsible discussion, and open debate.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG