Syrian authorities closed Aleppo airport and canceled all flights, a military source told Reuters early on Saturday as Syrian rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad said on Friday they had reached the heart of the northern city of Aleppo.
The Syrian army closed main roads in and out of the city of Aleppo as troops were told to follow "safe withdrawal" orders from neighborhoods which insurgents speedily overran, three Syrian army sources told Reuters.
The move effectively sealed the city as the army gave instructions at checkpoints outside the city to only allow passage and entry to army troops, the sources told Reuters.