The United Nations on Monday said that 47 children who were trapped in an orphanage in Syrian city Aleppo have been evacuated. “This morning, all 47 children trapped in an orphanage in east Aleppo were evacuated to safety, with some in critical condition from injuries and dehydration,” Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF regional director, said in a statement. He said the UN body with other agencies were helping other children reunite with their families.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that at least 12,000 civilians have been evacuated from Aleppo, Reuters reported. On Sunday, some of the buses carrying evacuees were attacked and torched by armed men who reportedly shouted “God is greatest”. The weather in Aleppo has been wet and very cold with not many shelter provisions around, the news agency added.

After the evacuation plan failed to take off last week and clashes began afresh, a second ceasefire agreement was reached on Thursday. The evacuation process after the first peace deal was reportedly stalled after Iran imposed new conditions. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hailed the liberation of Aleppo after many years of fighting, calling it a historic moment.