Several hundred allowed to escape east Aleppo as evacuations resume

Several hundred people have been allowed to leave besieged east Aleppo after evacuations were held up for several days.

Buses containing 500 people were able to leave a rebel-held pocket late on Sunday even though officially evacuations were postponed.

Dozens of buses had entered the city earlier in the day but an operation to take people to safety was called off after an attack in another part of Syria.

TV pictures showed people receiving food, water, blankets and clothes after being taken to the al Rashidin district.

The area is in rebel-held territory to the west of Aleppo and was earlier in the week used as a holding area for refugees from eastern Aleppo who were allowed to head to the Idlib region, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

On Saturday, Reuters reported that the evacuations were being prevented by Shia militias who were insisting that people in two villages besieged by rebel forces in Idlib province also be evacuated.

Then on Sunday, an attack on buses due to take the evacuees from Al Foua and Kefraya, the two villages besieged by insurgents, further complicated matters.

Syrian state TV had said earlier on Sunday that about 1,200 civilians would initially be evacuated from east Aleppo and a similar number from the two villages.

Five buses and an ambulance were eventually able to get under way from east Aleppo after a convoy was cleared to drive to al Rashidin.

It was not clear whether the earlier burning of the buses heading to the two villages would have any impact on the departure of more convoys.

Thousands of civilians are feared to have been trapped in east Aleppo after Syrian government forces crushed rebels in the city.

An unknown number have been forced to spend several nights outdoors in freezing temperatures waiting to leave after a deal between rebel leaders and forces loyal to Bashar al Assad stalled.

The buses were accompanied by representatives from the Red Cross and Syrian Red Crescent.

International Red Cross Committee regional director Robert Mardini tweeted at around 10.30pm UK time: "Finally, 5 buses & 1 ambulance escorted by @SARC_Aleppo & @ICRC_sy just left dark & cold E #Aleppo. Hopeful operation will proceed smoothly."

It came as the United Nations Security Council reached an agreement on a compromise resolution to send independent officials to monitor the evacuation of civilians from Aleppo.