aleppo

For decades, a legendary sandwich shop in the Syrian city was a pilgrimage site for locals and visitors. Could it have survived the civil war? It would mean some part of Aleppo is still there, too.

A U.N. commission accuses Russian-backed Syrian forces and rebel factions of war crimes in Aleppo. Civilians "were increasingly left vulnerable to repeated violations by all sides," the report says.

The rebels cited breaches of a cease-fire agreement by forces loyal to the Syrian government. This casts doubt on their participation in peace talks in Kazakhstan set to take place later this month.

The nationwide cease-fire is to begin at midnight local time. Russia and Turkey will act as guarantors. The agreement does not include areas under the control of ISIS.

In some areas of Syria, local truces have averted deadly military takeovers. But in a suburb north of Damascus, rebel fighters say their departure resulted more from coercion than negotiation.

Remaining rebels and civilians in east Aleppo wait in freezing weather for transportation out of the city; a few hundred people refuse to leave. Pro-regime forces might enter as soon as this evening.

Multiple cease-fires have failed and evacuation efforts halted in the dwindling rebel-held enclave in Aleppo, partly over disputes about two regime-friendly villages. Now buses are moving again.

Thousands of civilians and dozens of wounded people have been evacuated from the small section of Aleppo still controlled by surrendering rebels. But now the movement out of the city has stopped.

Syrian state TV said thousands of fighters and civilians await evacuation from rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Some ambulances came under brief fire, but now buses of evacuees are leaving the city.

Reports from eastern Aleppo have described horrific bloodshed as the Syrian regime and its allies overpower rebel forces. A cease-fire is supposed to allow tens of thousands of people to evacuate.