LIVE: Aleppo evacuations

Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday that Turkey will intensify talks with Russia and other countries for a ceasefire to end the "humanitarian tragedy" in Aleppo. 

"Today, tomorrow, everyday, we will intensify our talks with Russia and other countries so we can find a solution to this humanitarian tragedy," Cavusoglu said at a press conference with his Czech counterpart in Ankara.

Ankara has repeatedly called for Assad's departure, accusing Damascus of massacres in Aleppo and elsewhere, but its criticism of Moscow has been notably muted. 

Anonymous UN sources have told Middle East Eye that talks are under way to evacuate 100,000 civilians from east Aleppo. The UN source said that the Russians and Syrians would agree to the evacuation if a 24-hour ceasefire is in place. 

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Turkey's foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that Turkey is in talks with Russia and Iran to ensure the ceasefire holds in east Aleppo after reports emerged of renewed shelling by Iranian-backed militants. 

Turkey's president said Wednesday he would speak with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in an effort to rescue a ceasefire deal which would allow civilians and rebel fighters to be evacuated from Syria's Aleppo.

"I will speak with Mr Putin again later in the evening," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a televised speech in Ankara. "The situation on the ground is very fragile and complicated."

Good morning.

The latest updates on the situation unfolding in east Aleppo:

• Evacuations have been delayed for several hours
• Turkey and Russia brokered a deal yesterday to evacuate civilians at 5am (Syrian time)
• Iranian-backed militias reportedly broke the ceasefire after reports of shelling from the ground
• Russian defence ministry claiming rebels renewed attacks at dawn 

Situation is developing rapidly and MEE will be corroborating reports from the ground with officials and Syrians besieged in east Aleppo. 

The United States were unaware that bilateral talks were taking place between Turkey and Russia over a ceasefire.

State Department spokesman John Kirby said: "I'm not aware that we had any indications that there were bilateral discussions to reach this kind of arrangement. So I don't know that there was any prior knowledge."

The Syrian government have recommenced air strikes on rebel-held parts of east Aleppo according to reports received by AFP. 

More to follow...

Syria's government resumed air strikes on remaining rebel-held territory in ravaged east Aleppo on Wednesday, a monitor said, after a deal to evacuate civilians and fighters was put on hold.

Government warplanes carried out strikes on several parts of the few districts still held by the rebels after a month-long army operation to recapture the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Images taken by the Revolutionary Forces of Syria media outlet, an organisation affiliated with the opposition, posted images of civilians internally displaced in Aleppo.

"We are the people of Aleppo, who have watched the world casually turn its back on us." These are the words of Ameen Al-Halabi, a photographer currently in Aleppo, posted on her Facebook page from inside Aleppo. 

Yesterday, in a separate post, Ameen wrote: “I am waiting to die or be captured by the Assad regime… Pray for me and always remember us.”

Today, she has this message:

ITV journalist Dan Rivers enters a formerly besieged neighbourhood in east Aleppo after pro-Assad forces seize control from rebels.

An official with a Syrian rebel group fighting in Aleppo said on Tuesday that an agreement with Russia to cease bombardement in the city is under way.

According to the official, a full ceasefire is expected to be announced on Tuesday night.

"There are signs of a breakthrough in the coming hours," said an official with a second rebel group fighting in Aleppo, Jabha Shamiya.