Residents and aid workers trapped in Aleppo are describing desperate conditions with streets "full of dead bodies" as the Syrian army comes close to regaining full control of the city.
President Bashar al Assad's forces, backed by Russia, have recaptured large swathes of the city in recent days and, according to state TV, it now holds 98% of neighbourhoods previously occupied by rebels.
A Syrian military source said government forces and their allies are in the "last moments before declaring victory", while the head of the government's Aleppo security committee warned rebels they "either have to surrender or die".
Lieutenant General Zaid al-Saleh added: "The battle in eastern Aleppo should end quickly. They (rebels) don't have much time."
Residents sent texts, tweets and videos to make dramatic appeals for help or say goodbye, as they said they feared they would die or be arrested by government troops.
Abdulkafi Alhamdo, a teacher turned activist, posted a "last call" video on Monday, calling the crisis in the city "the most horrible massacre … in our history."
With rain in the background, Mr Alhamdo struggled to fight back tears as he described the devastation.
"Just yesterday, next door all the building collapsed and many people were killed," he said.
"You might not understand what we are suffering here."
"We wanted freedom, we didn't want anything else but freedom.
"I hope that something can be done and that we can leave and that we can speak together once more … I hope you can remember us."
Another resident, Monther Etaky, told Sky News that life in the city "is like hell".
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