video transcript

Syria's prime minister makes a rare visit to Aleppo. State television shows Wael al-Halki at a conference on Monday (December 17), in the city which has seen fierce fighting between government troops and rebel fighters. The visit is the first in months by a senior figure from President Bashar al-Assad's government. The prime minister took office earlier this year when his predecessor defected. At the conference, he pledged four million dollars in aid to help food and fuel shortages in Aleppo. Civilians in parts of the city face huge hardships as heavy fighting turns areas into war zones. The government has traded blame with rebels over the lack of support to rebel-held areas. Opposition activists say government forces block aid as a form of collective punishment.