Syria says Aleppo ceasefire has begun

The Syrian military says a unilateral ceasefire has come into force to allow rebels to leave the besieged eastern part of Aleppo city.

State media earlier said the army had completed opening exit corridors in two designated areas in the Bustan al Qasr quarter and near the Castello road in northern Aleppo where waiting green buses were shown on state television.

The Syrian military said on Wednesday it would observe a temporary ceasefire in Aleppo to allow trapped civilians to leave and said it had pulled back to enable rebel fighters to leave the city via two designated corridors.