Pro-Syrian government soldiers shoot a weapon on the back of a vehicle near damaged buildings, in al-Izaa area in Aleppo, Syria December 5, 2016. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki
Beirut: Syrian rebels on Monday ruled out leaving east Aleppo, despite sweeping government advances and Moscow's announcement it would hold talks with Washington on a total rebel withdrawal from the city.
Yasser al-Youssef of the Nureddine al-Zinki rebel group said any plan "for the exit of rebel groups would be unacceptable," while Abu Abdel Rahman Al-Hamawi of the Army of Islam group said rebels "would fight... until the last drop of blood."