By December 13, over 90 percent of the Syrian city of Aleppo fell to government powers. Caught in a four-year deadlock in the midst of war, the remaining residents of Aleppo are stuck in limbo while plans for evacuation slow to a halt.
Rebels and civilians alike have been under intense bombings for months while rebel supporting Turkey and Syrian ally Russia negotiated a ceasefire in the area. The deal called for a local ceasefire and evacuations in which rebels and civilians would be allowed to escape to the rebel-held Idlib province. In turn, civilians in the Idlib province would be allowed to leave at the insistence of Iran.
On December 15, about 6,000 people left Aleppo under the weak truce but the next day, evacuations were halted. Following the announcement of the deal, aid agencies waited for operations to remove residents to begin.
However, on Friday, many were struck with confusion when news that areas included in the new deal had stopped evacuation. Government reports say rebel fighters opened fire on convoys at the checkpoint of Ramouseh while rebels claim pro-government forces were the ones to open fire.
Now, the United Nations Security Council is discussing a French proposal that will ensure that operations are coordinated by international observers and that aids will be allowed into Aleppo, protected as they complete rounds through the city and surrounding hospitals.
People worldwide wait for evacuations and aid to resume in the interests of the wounded and starving men, women, and children, left orphaned by the war.
