The Arab League (AL) hosted on Thursday an extraordinary meeting to discuss the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Aleppo.

The meeting, which is held at the level of Arab permanent representatives, comes at the request of Qatar.

The pan-Arab body will host on Monday another extraordinary meeting of the Arab foreign ministers to discuss the latest developments in Syria, especially in Aleppo. 

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the first batch of wounded civilians trapped in eastern Aleppo is getting ready to be evacuated to the other side of the city as a new rescue deal was clinched Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, a Syrian military source, who declined to be identified, said a new deal was secured to take militants out of the rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo and preparations are being taken now.

He made no mention of any arrangements for the thousands of desperate civilians who have been trapped for days without food, water or medicine in eastern Aleppo under a hail of artillery and airstrikes. Their evacuation had been supposed to start on Thursday.

About 200 people were expected to be evacuated on three buses.

A similar evacuation expected to take place on Wednesday morning fell apart under continued artillery exchanges and resumed air strikes.

Source: MENA