Sputnik- The Syrian Army is poised to restore full control over Aleppo in the nearest future, and life will start to return to normal in the city, Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko told Sputnik.
In an interview withSputnik, military expert Igor Korotchenko, chief editor ofthe Russian magazine National Defense, suggested that the Syrian government forces will manage torestore full control overAleppo inthe nearestfuture.
The interview came afterSergey Rudskoy, chief ofthe Russian General Staff Main Operational Directorate, said that the Syrian Army currently controls 93 percent ofthe territory ofthe city ofAleppo. Rudskoy said that "as a result ofa successful advance, 52 districts ineastern Aleppo have been freed fromjihadists, and overthe past4 days, territory controlled bymilitants has been decreased byone third."
He related that more than1,000 militants have laid downarms and left eastern Aleppo; 953 ofthem have been granted amnesty bythe Syrian government.
Speaking toSputnik, Igor Korotchenko, forhis part, predicted that the complete liberation ofAleppo will happen within "days or weeks." He said that "the situation inAleppo develops successfully forthe Syrian government army and the militia" and that "we can talk abouta turning point inthe fighting." He recalled that "a significant part ofeastern Aleppo's territory has already been liberated fromthe terrorists, withcivilians returning totheir homes."
From the liberated Church ofOur Lady in #Aleppo's Old City, Syrian Christians raise the sign ofvictory.#Syria #WeWillRebuild pic.twitter.com/RVLy8Qo3pw Sarah Abdallah (@sahouraxo) 8 ??????? 2016 ?. Korotchenko also recalled that a number ofmilitants had laid downtheir arms and left Aleppo underthe guarantees ofthe Russian Center forSyrian Reconciliation. "So I think that inthe next few days, maybe few weeks, the government troops will take full control ofAleppo.
It will put an end tothe suffering ofcivilians who were underthe control ofthe terrorists," he said. According tohim, those militants who continue tooffer pointless resistance tothe government forces have resorted tothe most barbaric methods ofwarfare.
"Unfortunately, we see that the provocations continue," Korotcheko said, referring to "the barbaric bombardment ofthe Russian mobile military hospital inAleppo" which left two military medics dead and another wounded. "This barbaric action bythe terrorists was clearly masterminded [beforehand], and Western countries which support the jihadists, especially the United States, hold moral responsibility forit," Korotchenko pointed out.
Meanwhile, the Russian Center forSyrian Reconciliation has announced that almost 18,000 citizens managed toflee frommilitant-controlled areas ofAleppo.
The center noted that Russian servicemen had demined about8 hectares (almost 18 acres) ofterritory inAleppo, removing explosives from24 buildings, including two schools, two mosques and an electric power substation. Within the past24 hours, some 28 militants have surrendered, according tothe center. ... 170