(VOVworld) – The Russian military on Thursday said they’re ready to ensure safe passage for rebels and their weapons wanting to leave eastern Aleppo. At a press conference in Moscow, Lieutenant General Sergei Rudskoy promised unimpeded passage for civilians to or from eastern Aleppo and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid there. He added that all plans contributing to the safe withdrawal of the rebels are welcomed. Rudskoy emphasized that Russian aircraft have only attacked clearly-defined targets outside residential areas. 

Russian Lieutenant General Sergei Rudskoy (Source: Sputnik/VNA)

The announcement was made ahead of an international conference to discuss the Syria crisis, scheduled to take place on Saturday, 15th, October. This will be the first conference since the US and Russia concluded the previous cease-fire agreement.  

 In another development, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) says that at least 17 people, including 14 rebel fighters, were killed by a car bomb blast at a checkpoint manned by the Shamiya Front rebel group in Aleppo province. The attack injured dozens of people, many of them critically.