The UN hailed the Tuesday (October 18th) announcement of an Aleppo ceasefire, but said it was waiting for safety assurances from all sides before going in with aid, AFP reported.

"We remain of course pleased if there is a reduction in fighting […] because it will protect civilians," said UN humanitarian agency spokesman Jens Laerke.

But he stressed that "when the weapons fall silent, we need all weapons to fall silent", before "critical humanitarian assistance can be provided to the area and the sick and the wounded can be evacuated".

"We need to have assurances from all parties to the conflict. Not just a unilateral announcement that this will happen," he said.

Laerke's comments came after Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russian and Syrian air forces had stopped bombing Aleppo, in a move he said was meant to pave the way for an eight-hour truce on Thursday.

Shoigu said the "humanitarian pause" on Thursday would allow civilians to exit through six corridors and would make it possible to evacuate the sick and wounded from eastern Aleppo.

The UN and EU welcomed the announcement, but said the planned pause in fighting needed to be longer to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.

"We continue to call for a 48-hour pause," Laerke said.