Ceasefire broken in Aleppo amid heavy shelling

Fierce fighting has descended onto the Syrian city of Aleppo once again after a ceasefire which was supposed to allow rebels and civilians to escape was broken on Wednesday.

The ceasefire was declared on Wednesday as buses entered the eastern part of the city to evacuate those who were still trapped, but the violence began again on Wednesday, as well as air strikes.

A major offensive launched by Bashar al-Assad's forces in recent months has attempted to finally take back Eastern Aleppo, which has been controlled by rebel factions since 2012.

Turkish intelligence and Russian military officials brokered the deal that was agreed in order to offer respite to the thousands of civilians remaining in the region.

Russia has placed the blame for the breakdown of the ceasefire on the rebels, with its defence ministry claiming that they used the ceasefire as a way to regroup for further attacks.

"The clashes are violent and bombardment is very heavy... it seems as though everything (the ceasefire) is finished," said the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) Rami Abdulrahman.

Eastern Aleppo has been brought to its knees during the four-year conflict, in which over 250,000 are said to have died. Fighting has intensified with the regime's offensive in recent weeks, with frequent food shortages due to almost constant bombardment.

Experts estimate that there are at least 50,000 people still trapped in the besieged areas of the city, with around 1,500 of those fighting on the side of rebel factions.

US ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power launched a scathing indictment of the allied governments of Syria, Russia and Iran in light of the latest botched attempt at a ceasefire.

"It should shame you," Power said in a speech to the UN. "Instead, by all appearances it is emboldening you...Are you truly incapable of shame?"