Aleppo ceasefire broken by pro-Assad forces: Sources

Sources inside rebel-held territory in eastern Aleppo have told Middle East Eye that pro-Assad forces have broken the ceasefire.

Russia confirmed that the Syrian army had resumed its assault on Aleppo, but accused the rebels of breaking the truce, according to AFP.

Zoheir al-Shimale, a local resident of the besieged enclave, told MEE on Wednesday morning that "the shelling has just started with artillery bombs".

He also reported that Iran-sponsored militias were opening a new front on the eastern side to pressure the rebels to evacuate.

"The attacks are very intense now," he said.

The Russian military said in a statement: "The attack by the terrorists was warded off. The Syrian army continued its operation to liberate the eastern districts of Aleppo controlled by the rebels," Russia's military said in a statement.

The statement did not specify whether the government's operation was ongoing. 

The ceasefire agreement was announced late on Tuesday, as government forces were on the verge of recapturing all of east Aleppo, in rebel hands since 2012.

An evacuation due to begin at 5am local time was also delayed, possibly until Thursday, over the ceasefire breaches.

Turkey, which brokered the deal, on Wednesday morning accused the Syrian government and "others" of trying to obstruct the evacuation deal.

The Assad government has demanded that its injured troops, as well as severely injured civilians and fighters from eastern Aleppo, are allowed to be evacuated as part of the deal.

More to follow...