Turkey uses truce to send aid to Aleppo

Turkey has pledged to send aid to Aleppo as a truce takes effect for the Eid al-Adha holiday.

2 min read

12 September, 2016

Erdogan has pledged aid as a ceasefire takes effect [Getty]

Turkey's president says his country will send food, clothing and children's toys to the contested Syrian city of Aleppo after a US-Russia brokered cease-fire takes effect at sundown in the neighbouring country.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's pledge came at the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha on Monday and the Turkish leader says the aid will be delivered along specific routes at sundown.

"Today after sunset, whether it is the UN or our Red Crescent, they will send food, toys and clothing to the people, mainly in Aleppo, through the predetermined corridors," Erdogan told reporters.

"Our Red Crescent is working to reach al-Rai and Jarablus as well, in co-ordination with (the Turkish disaster management agency) AFAD," he said, referring to two Syrian border towns.

Ankara's incursion last month into northern Syria has helped Syrian rebels retake Jarablus from the Islamic State group.

A cease-fire brokered by the United States and Russia began at sunset in Syria amid mixed messages of commitment from various rebel factions but with verbal backing by President Bashar Assad's government.

Assad made a rare public appearance on Monday, attending prayers for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha at a mosque in the suburb of Daraya, which surrendered last month after four years of government siege, attracting widespread outrage.

The cease-fire deal hammered out between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva last week allows the Syrian government to continue to strike at the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-linked militants, until the US and Russia take over the task in one week's time.

Rebel factions have expressed deep reservations about the deal.