As Russia extends Aleppo cease-fire for third day, Turkish forces reportedly continue to fire rockets at north
The Latest on developments in Syria where a Russia-announced pause in the fighting is underway to allow civilians and rebels to leave besieged areas of Aleppo. The UN said it received verbal assurances for the extension of the break until Monday, but the Kremlin did not confirm that Friday, saying it was possible if militants will not abuse it.
Despite the announced ceasefire, Syria monitoring group and a senior Kurdish commander said Turkish forces have kept up their bombing of areas controlled by Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria for the third straight day. Commander Mahmoud Barkhadan of the main Syrian Kurdish militia, the People's Protection Units, or YPG, said that there were no airstrikes on Friday, but artillery and rockets continue to strike their areas in northern Aleppo. He said one fighter was killed. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Turkish forces fired more than 70 rockets in the area.
