A pause in airstrikes on Aleppo held into a second day Wednesday (October 19th), ahead of a brief ceasefire aimed at allowing civilians and opposition fighters to quit the city, AFP reported.

Moscow announced early Tuesday that Russian and Syrian warplanes would stop bombing opposition-held parts of the city to pave the way for a "humanitarian pause".

That window, starting Thursday and due to last eight hours, is expected to see all fighting stop to allow civilians and opposition fighters to exit opposition-held districts via six corridors.

The bombing halt held for its first 24 hours.

"There have been no air raids from yesterday morning until now," said Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman as the pause entered its second day Wednesday.

Despite the bombing pause, troops pressed their ground assault in the Old City on Wednesday, the Observatory said.

Ibrahim Abu al-Leith, a spokesman for the White Helmets rescue force in Aleppo, said there were no planes circling above on Wednesday but artillery and rocket fire continued.

The UN said Tuesday that all sides needed to back an extended truce before aid convoys could roll.