The Russian Defence Ministry on Monday said mass graves had been discovered in Aleppo with bodies of civilians showing signs of torture, and alleged that the Syrian rebels had a hand in the crimes. Major General Igor Konashenkov said dozens of bodies had been uncovered, some of them mutilated and missing with body parts, the Independent reported.
Konachenkov alleged the rebels, who have been fighting against the Russia-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, had laid out multiple booby traps and mines across the city to capture civilians. The Syria Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that bodies had been found in Aleppo, The New York Post reported. The organisation on Sunday had said 63 Syrian soldiers and been killed in such booby traps since a ceasefire agreement came into effect on December 15, the daily added added.
Rocket launchers, numerous homemade mortars, two tanks, and seven warehouses filled with ammunition and supplies were discovered in the city, the minister was quoted as saying by RT.com.
The Syrian Army on Thursday had said it had taken complete control of Aleppo, thus ending the four years of fighting between the government forces and rebel group. More than 34,000 people had been evacuated from Aleppo following the ceasefire agreement between the two sides.
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