Syrian rebel groups have told the United States they will not leave Aleppo after Moscow called for talks with Washington over a full withdrawal of rebel fighters from the city's besieged eastern districts, a rebel official said on Sunday. "Our response to the Americans was as follows: we cannot leave our city, our homes, to the mercenary militias that the regime has mobilized in Aleppo," said Malahifji, the head of the political office of an Aleppo rebel group. The U.S. officials had asked the rebels "do you want to leave, (or) do you want to be steadfast", Malahifji said. The rebels called on the "friends of the Syrian people" to stand by them and for the urgent delivery of food and medicine to eastern Aleppo and for the wounded to be evacuated, he said. The Russian-backed Syrian army has captured large areas of eastern Aleppo from rebels in the latest phase of its campaign to take back all of Aleppo.

Source: Egypt Independent December 04, 2016 11:05 UTC