UN appeals for urgent humanitarian ceasefire in Aleppo

The UN on Tuesday called for an urgent 48-hour humanitarian ceasefire for the Syrian city of Aleppo to save the lives of the two million residents trapped in the city without running water, electricity or regular supply of food and medicine. The organization is appealing for the lifting of the siege on Aleppo, saying the situation in which the lives of tens of thousands of sick and helpless people are in danger is a "war crime". DEBKAfile's intelligence sources reported Sunday that rebel forces failed to break the siege, contrary to widespread media reports.