Russia announces daily ceasefires in Syria's Aleppo for aid to get in

Moscow: The Russian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday there would be daily three-hour ceasefires in Syria`s Aleppo starting from Thursday to allow humanitarian convoys to enter the city safely. 

Speaking at a briefing, General Sergei Rudskoi, a senior Russian Defence Ministry official, said the pause in fighting would take place from 10 in the morning to one in the afternoon local time.

He said "all military action, air and artillery strikes" would be halted for that period, and that Russia - together with the Syrian authorities - was ready to help all interested organisations safely deliver humanitarian aid to Aleppo`s residents.

Rudskoi also said about 7,000 Jabhat Fatah al-Sham militants had been massing south-west of Aleppo for the past week and were still being joined by new fighters.

He said the militants had tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, artillery and vehicles with weapons mounted on them.