During the meeting with Muallem, the special envoy intends to discuss the situation in the country — in particular, the development of the crisis in Aleppo. De Mistura came to the Syrian capital from Beirut and his visit will last one day.
Syria's war between government forces and a wide range of insurgents, including opposition groups and terrorists, such as ISIL and Jabhat Fatah al Sham has raged for some five years and has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
Over recent months, the situation in Aleppo has deteriorated. Militant-held eastern Aleppo is encircled by government forces and the fighting has affected thousands of civilians still trapped in the city.
In October, a humanitarian pause was introduced in Aleppo to ensure the safe evacuation of civilians and unarmed militants from eastern parts of the city through designated corridors. That pause collapsed when Jabhat Fatah al Sham (also known as Nusra Front, or Jabhat al-Nusra, outlawed in Russia) militants attacked civilians, preventing them from fleeing the city.
SPUTNIK/MNA