Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Erdogan agree Aleppo ceasefire violations must stop

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed on Thursday in a phone call that violations of a ceasefire deal agreed for the Syrian city of Aleppo should stop, Turkish presidential sources said.

“In the phone call, they stressed that the ceasefire agreement secured on Wednesday night should be put into practice (and) the violations of the deal must be stopped,” the sources said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov confirmed to RIA Novosti state news agency that the call took place.

Turkey, Russia and Syrian rebel groups on Tuesday confirmed an agreement had been reached for civilians and opposition fighters to leave Aleppo.

If implemented, the deal would mark the end of opposition resistance in Syria’s second city after years of fighting, and a major victory for Moscow ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But the deal appeared to be in danger of falling apart after shelling and air strikes resumed in Aleppo on Wednesday.

During the call, the presidents reaffirmed their committment to start the evacuation of civilians and rebels via safe corridors “as soon as possible”, the Turkish sources said.

Erdogan told Putin that Ankara was ready to take all necessary measures to provide humanitarian aid and temporary housing following the opening of safe corridors, the sources added.