Russia says it has extended a "humanitarian pause" in its attacks on rebel-held Aleppo until 5pm (UK time) on Saturday.

A ceasefire was announced by the Syrian government on Thursday to allow civilians and rebels to leave the city.

Eastern Aleppo has been subjected to heavy bombardment for several weeks after the Syrian regime launched an all-out assault with Russian support.

Despite the ceasefire, clashes continued in the area designated as a humanitarian corridor after it came into effect.

The UN's Human Rights Council attempted to put pressure on Russia on Friday by passing a resolution calling for enhanced investigation of rights violations and abuses.


The council voted 24-7, with 16 abstentions, on the UK-proposed measure at a special council session.

Boy is rescued from Aleppo building hit by airstrike

Russia's Lt Gen Sergei Rudskoi said the pause in his military's operations in Syria will be extended on President Vladimir Putin's instructions.

Despite the pause, monitors reported few people taking the opportunity to leave the city along any of the safe corridors to the north.

Residents in eastern Aleppo said they would not leave as there were no guarantees they would not be arrested as soon as they set foot on government-controlled soil.

Lt Gen Rudskoi accused militant groups of "doing everything to prevent the exit of civilians and members of armed groups from eastern Aleppo".

The Children of Aleppo

A Kremlin spokesman said that Russia may extend the pause in fighting further but it would depend "on fighters leaving the city - which so far is sluggish, unfortunately."

Save the Children said that despite the humanitarian pause, it is concerned about children injured by cluster bombs who may be too unwell to leave or untreatable in the existing medical facilities.

Since the renewed Syrian and Russian offensive against rebel-held Aleppo, about 2,700 people have been killed or injured, according to UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Hundreds of those who have died are thought to be children and it is thought about 250,000 civilians have been trapped by the fighting.

Image: Large parts of Aleppo have been destroyed in the bombardment

Earlier, the siege and bombing of Aleppo was described as constituting "crimes of historic proportions".

The UN's human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called for the crisis in Syria to be referred to the International Criminal Court.

On Thursday, European leaders pulled back from threatening Russia with sanctions over the bombing of Aleppo.

Theresa May urged other European leaders to press Russia to stop its "appalling (and) sickening" atrocities in Syria.

But the proposal did not get enough support.

The final communique said: "The EU is considering all available options should the current atrocities continue."

Celebrities, campaigners and MPs say they will take a protest to Downing Street on Saturday calling for government action to stop the bombing of Aleppo.