Syrian Military Calls on Aleppo Militants to Surrender

The Syrian government has demanded that militants lay down their weapons and leave the besieged city of Aleppo.

In a statement published by the official SANA news agency, the Syrian Army promised “a safe exit and access to the necessary assistance” for militants, guaranteed by the commands of both the Syrian and Russian armies, if militants left the besieged city of Aleppo, DPA reported.

The departure of the militants was necessary for civilians “to live a normal life”, the statement added. There was no comment from the militant ranks.

Sunday’s announcement came as government forces, backed by Russia, tightened their control over the former commercial capital.

Syrian government forces advanced against opposition militants in Aleppo, state media and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

SANA said forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad had recaptured al-Kindi Hospital and strategic hills on the northern outskirts of Aleppo.

“The Russians have been instrumental in this advance with their intense air raids in support of the regime forces in Aleppo,” observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told news agencies, adding that militants had incurred “heavy” casualties.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State John Kerry called his counterpart in Moscow, Sergey Lavrov, to discuss the worsening situation in the besieged city. They “examined the situation in Syria, including the possibility of normalizing the situation around Aleppo”, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Nearly 300,000 people have been trapped in Aleppo ever since government forces—backed by Russia—laid siege on the eastern part of the city. Residents have reported a serious decline in supplies of food, electricity and medicine.