Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 18
Trend:
Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has said Russia’s ceasefire initiative in Aleppo might be the beginning of a long-term truce, but several hours of ceasefire do not suffice, RIA Novosti reports.
Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu said that starting from 10:00, Oct. 18, Russian and Syrian military aircraft will halt bombardment of Aleppo for bringing a humanitarian pause on Oct. 20.
Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Sergey Rudskoy stated that the humanitarian pause will start Oct. 20 in Aleppo to give militants and civilians an opportunity to leave the city.
According to him, from 08:00 until 16:00, Russian Aerospace Forces and Syrian Armed Forces will cease attacks.
“The few hours armistice in and over Aleppo, announced by Moscow, may be just the beginning. No matter how much temporary cessation of air strikes is welcomed, 8 hours are not enough to allow much-needed humanitarian access to besieged people in Aleppo. Perhaps, we need to do more and more in the name of humanity,” the German Foreign Ministry quoted Steinmeier as saying on Oct. 18.