Yahoo Finance Syrian Families 'Leave' Aleppo Rebel Areas
Dozens of families and a number of opposition fighters have left besieged rebel-held areas of Aleppo, according to Syrian state media.
The government has recently opened three safe corridors for civilians and fighters who want to leave, after effectively besieging around 300,000 people living in opposition-held areas of the country's largest city.
Authorities closed the main road into the rebel neighbourhoods on 17 July, but Syrian president Bashar al Assad has offered an amnesty to rebels who surrender to the authorities in the next three months.
State television purportedly showed dozens of women and children, as well as around a dozen rebel fighters, arriving at government controlled areas.
Soldiers pointed their rifles as the rebel fighters, covering their faces, surrendered to government forces.
SANA, Syria's state news agency, said the civilians were later taken to government shelters in western Aleppo.
One woman told state TV: "We are feeling good now because we are under the protection of the army, may God protect them. We suffered a lot in order to be able to come here."
Russia's defence ministry claimed 169 civilians have left through humanitarian corridors since they were set up, and has said that four further corridors are being created.
Opposition activists, though, denied that civilians or militants had left for government-held areas.
Aleppo-based opposition activist Baraa al-Halalby said: "This is a game by the regime. Not a single person left.
"The regime wants to say that civilians have left in order to burn Aleppo."
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that people had left opposition zones but could not provide a figure.
Reports of the departures came a day after UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, called on Russia to leave the creation of humanitarian corridors around the city to the United Nations and its partners.
Airstrikes on several towns and villages in Aleppo province have been reported by opposition activists, including an attack on the village of Ibin alleged to have killed at least six people.
