Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday offered an amnesty to armed rebels battling his forces if they surrender, the official SANA news agency reported.
"Everyone carrying arms... and sought by justice... is excluded from full punishment if they hand themselves in and lay down their weapons," SANA said, quoting a presidential decree on the three-month amnesty offer.
The reprieve also includes any rebel who frees a hostage, according to the decree text.
The offer comes as opposition neighbourhoods of Aleppo city are effectively surrounded by pro-government forces, sparking fears for the more than 200,000 people trapped there.
Assad's ally Russia said Thursday it had launched a "large-scale" operation with the Syrian government to open humanitarian corridors for civilians and fighters fleeing the northern city.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told Russian news agencies that three humanitarian corridors were being opened "to aid civilians held hostage by terrorists and for fighters wishing to lay down their arms" and one more corridor to the north of the city for rebels to flee with their weapons.
Assad has issued several amnesties in recent years, including one in July 2015 for people who have dodged service or defected from the army.
Syria's UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said this week he hopes peace talks aimed at ending more than five years of brutal conflict could resume at the end of August.
More than 280,000 people have been killed in Syria since the war began in March 2011 with anti-government protests that were met with a brutal regime crackdown.
AFP
Thu Jul 28 2016
(FILES) Syria's President Bashar al-Assad answers questions during an interview with al-Manar's journalist Amro Nassef, in Damascus, Syria, on August 25, 2015. - REUTERS/SANA/Handout via Reuters
Nahas helikopter Lumut: DUN Sabah bertafakur seminit hormati mangsa
Ucapan takziah itu disampaikan Timbalan Speaker DUN Sabah, Datuk Al Hambra Tun Juhar sebelum memulakan sesi soal jawab pada sidang DUN.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Pas puji tindakan pantas Menteri Pertahanan
PAS memuji tindakan pantas Menteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin dalam mengendalikan tragedi dua helikopter terhempas yang mengorbankan 10 anggota dan pegawai Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysi
Suspek kes tembak di KLIA berdepan tujuh pertuduhan
Hafizul Hhawari mohon dibicarakan terhadap kesemua pertuduhan yang dibacakan di hadapan Hakim Nik Habri Muhamad.
Warga emas hidup 'berteman' lebih 2 tan sampah
Sudah menjadi tabiat lelaki ini yang hidup sebatang kara mengumpul sampah di dalam dan luar rumahnya tetapi bukan untuk dijual.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Lori bawa 10 keranda tiba di Jabatan Forensik HRPB
Kesemua 10 jenazah akan dibawa ke Batalion 23 Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja, Ipoh bagi istiadat rasmi sebaik proses bedah siasat selesai.
Piala Asia B-23: "Saya bermain dengan teruk dalam setiap perlawanan" - Mukhairi Ajmal
Ketua pasukan Harimau Muda kecewa dengan prestasi sendiri sepanjang Piala Asia B-23.
Niaga AWANI: KL20: MyDIGITAL tingkat daya saing ekosistem startup
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif, MyDIGITAL, Fabian Bigar berkongsi pandangan beliau berkenaan pembangunan ekosistem startup di Malaysia dan peranan MyDIGITAL dalam usaha tersebut seiring penganjuran KL20 baru-baru ini.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Mansuhkan undang-undang yang menindas hak asasi
Hakisan ruang sivik di Malaysia seperti yang dilaporkan dan tindakan keras yang diambil terhadap kebebasan asasi menuntut tindakan segera daripada kerajaan.
Niaga AWANI: Strategi pelaburan graduan muda di sebalik tekanan inflasi
Pensyarah Kanan, Sekolah Perniagaan Dan Ekonomi, UPM, Dr. Lau Wei Theng berkongsi tentang bagaimana graduan di Malaysia boleh meningkatkan literasi pelaburan di sebalik prospek ekonomi yang tidak menentu.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: Prestasi Bursa Malaysia setakat 24 April 2024
Jumlah dagangan naik kepada 3.73 bilion unit bernilai RM2.79 bilion daripada 3.49 bilion unit bernilai RM2.53 bilion pada Isnin.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Laporan Amnesty: Jumlah hukuman mati di seluruh dunia naik 53 peratus pada 2022
Terdapat sekurang-kurangnya 883 hukuman mati di 20 negara tahun lalu, angka tertinggi dalam tempoh lima tahun.