Evacuation of people from east Aleppo still suspended

Evacuations of people from east Aleppo are still suspended.

Beirut, Dec 17: Syrian state TV says evacuations from east Aleppo are still suspended until rebels allow residents of two besieged Shiite villages to leave to government- controlled areas.

The channel's correspondent, speaking from Aleppo, said today that the main condition for the Aleppo evacuation to resume is for residents of Foua and Kfarya to be allowed to leave.

The opposition's Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the evacuation of some 4,000 people, including wounded, from the villages could start today.

The Aleppo evacuation was suspended yesterday after a report of shooting at a crossing point into the enclave.

Thousands were evacuated before the evacuation was suspended. The Syrian government says the village evacuations and the one in eastern Aleppo must be done simultaneously, but the rebels say there's no connection.

AP