It said in a statement that 14 rebels had also surrendered to Syrian government forces, laying down their weapons and crossing into western Aleppo.

“They had all been pardoned,’’ it said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said that the Syrian army, which has captured territory including Aleppo’s historic Old City in recent days, had halted military activity to let civilians leave rebel-held territory.

However, Washington said it had no confirmation that the army had ceased fire.

The Russian defence ministry said its forces were working hard to de-mine areas in eastern Aleppo which Syrian government forces had captured from rebels.