The Syrian army on Sunday urged the rebels in the northern city of Aleppo to leave their positions, pledging to give them a safe exit out of the city, the national Syrian TV reported.

The General Command of the Syrian army has urged the rebels in the eastern part of Aleppo city to leave the areas they control in that part of the city "to let the civilians live a normal life," the report said.

It said the Syrian and Russian militaries pledge to give the rebels a safe way out of Aleppo and provide them with all necessary help.

The move came as the Syrian army backed by a Russian air cover has recently made notable gains against the rebels in eastern Aleppo, following a new wide-scale offensive against rebel-held areas in the city.

It is not the first military request for the rebels to surrender themselves, but it is the first that the army pledges to give the rebels a safe passage outside Aleppo and all the possible help.

Earlier this week, the Syrian army announced a major offensive against the rebel-held areas in Aleppo, with government officials and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pledging to restore the entire city from the rebels.

Aleppo has a strategic importance for the warring parties due to its location near the Turkish borders, and being Syria's largest province, and once the economic hub of Syria.

Source : XINHUA