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AFP
Moscow
Russia's defence minister said on Thursday that Moscow was extending a"humanitarian pause" in Aleppo scheduled to end at 1600 GMT by a further day.
On the order of President Vladimir Putin,"a decision was made to extend the 'humanitarian pause' by 24 hours," minister Sergei Shoigu said in a statement, adding that Syrian authorities had agreed to the extension.
Shoigu did not specify when the extended truce would end. The UN said earlier it had received a pledge from Moscow to extend it until Saturday.
Moscow said Tuesday that Russian and Syrian warplanes had stopped bombing Aleppo to pave the way for the humanitarian truce.
The UN said it hoped to carry out the first medical evacuations from Aleppo on Friday, after having received clearance from all warring parties and a pledge from Russia to extend the truce until Saturday.
