ANKARA: Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said he would speak with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to try to rescue a Syrian ceasefire that would allow civilians to be evacuated from Aleppo.
“I will speak with Mr Putin again later in the evening,” Erdogan said during a televised speech in Ankara. “The situation on the ground is very fragile and complicated.”
Turkey, Russia and Syrian rebel groups on Tuesday confirmed an agreement had been reached for civilians and opposition fighters to leave Aleppo, Syria’s second city.
If implemented, the deal would mark the end of opposition resistance in Syria’s second city after years of fighting, and a major victory for President Bashar al-Assad.
Deadly clashes erupted in Aleppo on Wednesday, putting the deal for the evacuation of rebel areas on hold.
