UN repeats call for truce in Syria's Aleppo

GENEVA (AA) – The UN's Deputy Special Envoy for Syria called Thursday for bombings in Aleppo to stop and the ceasefire to be restored.

Answering journalists' questions at the UN's Geneva Office, Ambassador Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy said: "The bombing must stop, civilians must be protected and the cessation of hostilities must be restored.

"We reiterate once again the United Nations’ repeated appeals in this regard, and call upon the co-chairs of the ISSG [International Syria Support Group] to work together to make the cessation of hostilities a reality once again."

When asked about his thoughts on how the United States' threat to stop cooperation with Russia on Syria could affect the peace process and talks, Ramzy said the UN "continues to call upon both co-chairs to continue to work together, to find a way to resurrect the ninth of September agreement."

"That has been our position and it remains our position and I think this is the best way out of this very difficult humanitarian and military situation in which the Syrians find themselves in today," he added.

The envoy said humanitarian actors on the ground are "doing their best to help the people of Aleppo".

"The UN at the Task Force appealed to the members of the ISSG to help us discharge our duties," he added.

Ramzy stressed that the World Health Organization had developed possible options for medical evacuations and it is "vital that they are able to make these evacuations happen as soon as possible".

When asked about how many medical evacuations are needed out of Aleppo, Ramzy did not give an exact figure, but said it was in the "hundreds".

Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday told his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that Washington was preparing to cut contact with Russia on Syria talks unless Moscow stops attacks on Aleppo.

Since Sept. 19, when the Syrian regime ended a weeklong cease-fire brokered by the U.S. and Russia, almost 500 civilians have been killed and hundreds injured in attacks on war-torn Aleppo.