Delays have hampered the last evacuations of Syrian rebels and civilians from what is left of the opposition's enclave in Aleppo as its residents waited for the arrival of 20 UN observers meant to monitor the final exodus from the city.
Some 3000 rebel fighters and civilians stood outside in harsh wintry conditions overnight, waiting in vain for to board what may be the last convoy out of the enclave. Activists circulated photos on social media of families huddled around fires amid the sleet and snow. By midday, temperatures in the city hovered around freezing.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict through a network of activists on the ground, said 60 buses were waiting to leave eastern Aleppo on Wednesday with the last of the evacuees - the final step that surrenders the Syrian opposition foothold in the war-torn city to the government.
Rebels and the government traded blame for the delay.
Syrian state media said that "differences among terrorist groups" were holding up the evacuations from Aleppo and from two rebel-besieged Shi'Ite villages in the country's north, Foua and Kfarya. The government calls all armed opposition fighters terrorists.
The rebels are supposed to allow the evacuation of the sick and wounded from the two villages as part of a ceasefire deal reached last week to ensure the evacuation of eastern, rebel-held part of the city of Aleppo.
Ward Furati, spokesman for Aleppo's Fastaqim rebel faction, said fighters in Aleppo "won't leave until the security of all the civilians has been fully guaranteed."
Opposition media activist Ahmad Primo said the government's side was demanding to complete the evacuations from Foua and Kfarya before it would allow buses out of Aleppo.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which is overseeing the operations, could not be reached for comment.
On Tuesday, the ICRC said it has evacuated 25,000 people from the city since operations began last week, but the Observatory says the tally is closer to 17,000.
The Observatory also said 21 buses are still waiting to evacuate the sick and wounded from the rebel-besieged Shi'Ite villages of Foua and Kfarya.
Also Tuesday, the UN humanitarian aid agency said Syria's government authorised UN plans to send about 20 staffers to monitor evacuations from eastern Aleppo.
