UN Security Council to discuss Aleppo evacuation

France calls for an urgent meeting to push for international observers to be sent to the city to monitor the situation and ensure deliveries of humanitarian aid.

The United Nations Security Council votes to approve a resolution at UN headquarters in New York July 20, 2015. (File photo)
TRT World and Agencies

The United Nations Security Council votes to approve a resolution at UN headquarters in New York July 20, 2015. (File photo)

The UN Security Council will meet behind closed doors on Friday to discuss the ongoing evacuation of civilians from eastern Aleppo, and to push for sending international observers to the city.

A Turkey-Russia brokered ceasefire agreement for the evacuation of civilians and rebels out of east Aleppo went into effect Tuesday night. The first convoy of civilians moved out of the city on Thursday.

France requested the urgent session, set for around midday on Friday, to push for international overseers to monitor the situation in the city and ensure deliveries of humanitarian aid.

"In these very dark days in Aleppo, it is critically important to have international observers under the surveillance of the UN to oversee the situation," French Ambassador Francois Delattre told reporters on Thursday.

After months of intense fighting, Syrian regime forces moved in the past month to crush the remaining pockets of opposition in Aleppo, which has been divided between opposition and regime-held districts since 2012.

UN aid chief Stephen O'Brien will brief the council on the details of the evacuation that began earlier on Thursday.

"France and Germany are working closely together on the conditions for safe evacuation and humanitarian access conditions for civilians to be able to leave safely," said Delattre.

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