Dutch Foreign Minister Summons Ambassadors of Iran, Russia Over Aleppo Situation

The Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders on Wednesday summoned Russian Ambassador Alexander Shulgin and Iranian Ambassador Alireza Jahangiri to the ministry over the situation in the eastern Aleppo, Dutch Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the post, Dutch Foreign Ministry strongly condemns "current situation," saying that the evacuation of citizens from Aleppo "must be made possible now."

"#Koenders summons ambassadors Russian Federation & Iran," the ministry said in a post on Twitter.

#Koenders summons ambassadors Russian Federation & Iran, 'evacuation #Aleppo must be made possible now; strongly condemn current situation'

— Netherlands 🇳🇱 MFA (@DutchMFA) 14 декабря 2016 г.

Earlier in the day, the Russian reconciliation center said that the militants in Salah al-Din district of Aleppo violated the agreement reached with Syrian authorities on leaving the city and used the ceasefire to regroup and begin hostilities again. When the transport arrived at the previously agreed place, the militants shelled the convoy. According to the statement, the Syrian army repelled the attack and continued the operation to liberate eastern Aleppo.

Over the recent months, Aleppo became a major battleground in Syria between government forces and militants. On Tuesday, the Russian reconciliation center said that the Syrian government army was controlling over 98 percent of the territory of Aleppo, with militants present in less than 3 square kilometers (1.1 square mile).