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Syrian army: 'Aleppo now under government control'

The Syrian army has said the last group of rebel fighters left in the besieged city have been evacuated.

In a statement, they said they had reclaimed Aleppo entirely and brought "security and safety" back to the city.

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Evacuees leave east Aleppo as 'Government takes control'

Evacuees board a bus to al-Rashideen. Credit: Reuters

Busses have carried the last group of rebels out of eastern Aleppo to the insurgent-held area of al-Rashideen.

The countryside town is southwest of the city and has been used to accommodate some of the estimated 34,000 people - civilians and fighters - from the besieged city over the past week.

Pro-government forces had insisted the rebel evacuation must be included in the deal to remove their forces from Shi'te villages al-Foua and Kefraya.

Despite the capture of Aleppo and progress against insurgents near Damascus, fighting in Syria is far from over with large areas remaining in rebel control in the northwest and far south.

So-called Islamic State also controls vast swathes of territory in the deserts and eastern Syria.

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