Russian and Syrian warplanes to resume bombing Aleppo after ceasefire ends

Russian and Syrian government forces’s 10-hour ceasefire in Aleppo has come to an end, in what Russia described as a final chance for rebels to leave besieged areas, reported the BBC.

No-one left, activists said. Russia and Syria are now expected to resume attacks on the city’s eastern side.

Rebels continued a counter-offensive aimed at breaking the siege, and Russia said two of its soldiers were wounded, BBC added.

According to the numbers posted by the BBC, about 250,000 people are trapped in the east, amid food and medical shortages.

Eastern Aleppo is the last major area held by rebels in Syria. If they leave, analysts say, it will be a big victory for President Bashar al-Assad in the five-year war, it indicated.

Text messages sent to residents by the Syrian government urged civilians to leave the area, telling the opposition to “stop resisting or die”. It added that they would “destroy group leaders”.