The Syrian government has sent text messages and dropped leaflets on Wednesday inviting rebels in eastern Aleppo to participate in a “friendly” football match, opposition activists and a member of parliament reported.
The message asked fighters to attend the game on Thursday at Hamdania Stadium, located in the western government-controlled part of the city, adding that rebels who planned to attend would be offered safe passage.
The initiative is “a gesture of goodwill on the path of national reconciliation, and any citizen is welcome to participate in the game,” the message, in Arabic, read.
It comes amid a heavy bombardment campaign by the Syrian government on eastern Aleppo which has killed scores of civilians and put most hospitals and schools out of service. Over 250,000 people have been trapped in eastern Aleppo since pro-government forces encircled the area in July.
Those interested in participating in the game should come “via pre-organized routes”, the government’s message read.
“Diplomacy of football”
It is unclear if opposition fighters are accepting the invitation.
In a tweet, Fares Shehabi, a Syrian parliamentarian in Aleppo and a prominent businessman allied to the Syrian regime, said: “Will the diplomacy of football succeed in ending the largest kidnapping operation of civilians [by rebels]? We hope so but are not expecting it.”
Some government supporters accuse the rebels of using civilians in the city as human shields. The United Nations this week described the bombing of rebel-held areas by the regime as “indiscriminate”.
Aref al-Aref, a resident of eastern Aleppo, confirmed to CNN that text messages were sent out to some of his friends in the city.
Hamdania is currently under the control of the government, but shells fired by rebels regularly hit the area.
The stadium there is the largest in Aleppo and was once a venue for international football games.