Pause in Aleppo to be extended only if terrorists do not grow stronger - Kremlin

MOSCOW, October 20. /TASS/. A humanitarian pause in Aleppo can only be extended if terrorists do not grow stronger and do not start rearming, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday following the Normandy Four meeting in Berlin. According to Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his counterparts that the extension of a humanitarian pause in Aleppo is "possible and desirable, but not if this pause is used for strengthening, rearming and re-equipping terrorists." "In that case, of course, the extension of the pause will be quite problematic," the Kremlin spokesman said. Peskov added that during the talks President Putin "spoke of the need for interaction and involvement of all countries that have influence in the region in real work to separate the moderate opposition from terrorist groups." "He called on France and Germany to use all available levers for that, if possible," the Kremlin spokesman said. "However, if this process is disrupted, if terrorists use this humanitarian pause for carrying out strikes, for rearming, for replenishing ammunition arsenals and so on, naturally, this will no longer be a humanitarian pause, as you understand." Peskov noted that during the meeting in Berlin Putin "briefed his counterparts in detail on a humanitarian pause in Aleppo" and on the humanitarian situation in Syria as a whole and answered their questions. Initially, the beginning of a humanitarian pause in Aleppo was scheduled for 08:00 Moscow Time on October 20. However, Russian and Syrian aircraft halted airstrikes near Aleppo ahead of schedule, at 10:00 Moscow Time on October 18. The humanitarian pause will make it possible for representatives of the UN and the Syrian Red Crescent Society to implement all measures to let the sick and wounded and the persons accompanying them, as well as the civilian population, leave the city. Eight corridors will be available in Aleppo, two of them - for the armed units leaving the city. Read more