• As Navios, Vale Contract Remains in Full Force

The Syrian army says it has retaken full control of Aleppo, following the evacuation of the last group of rebels.

In a statement, the army said it had “returned security to Aleppo” and called it a “crushing blow” for rebels.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed “all civilians who wished to be evacuated have been, as well as the wounded and fighters”.

This is the biggest victory for President Bashar al-Assad since the uprising against him began in 2011.

At least 34,000 civilians and rebel fighters have been removed from eastern Aleppo over the past week, a UN official said earlier.

Heavy snow, strong winds and the poor state of vehicles have slowed the evacuation, forcing thousands of people to wait for hours in freezing conditions.

The UN, which is monitoring the pull-out, called the process “traumatic, with crowding and vulnerable people waiting for hours and exposed to sub-zero temperatures”.

The evacuees from eastern Aleppo are being taken to rebel-held territory in the countryside west of the city, and in Idlib province.

As part of a deal brokered by Russia and Turkey, residents of the government-controlled towns of Foah and Kefraya in Idlib province, besieged by rebels, are also being removed.

ICRC spokeswoman Krista Armstrong said that everyone from each side who wanted to be evacuated had now been moved, and the process was complete.

“This victory represents a strategic change and a turning point in the war against terrorism on the one hand and a crushing blow to the terrorists’ project and their supporters on the other hand,” the Syrian army statement said. The government usually refers to the rebels as “terrorists”.

The statement said the victory was a further incentive for the army to carry on fighting to “eradicate terrorism and restore security and stability to every span on the homeland”.

Yasser al-Youssef, of the rebel Nureddin al-Zinki group, said the return of Aleppo to full government control was a “great loss”.

“For the revolution, it is a period of retreat and a difficult turning point,” he told the AFP news agency.

In the meantime, the 20-year service contract between Greek dry bulk shipping company Navios Maritime Holdings and Brazilian mining giant Vale International remains in full force and effect, according to a London arbitration tribunal ruling.

The announcement is the result of arbitration proceedings launched by Navios Maritime in June 2016 after Vale said that it will not be performing the contract related to an iron ore port currently under construction in Nueva Palmira, Uruguay.

Navios said that the arbitration tribunal, which issued its decision on December 21, 2016, also determined that Navios may elect to terminate the contract if Vale “were to further repudiate or renounce the contract.”

The company would then be entitled to damages calculated by reference to guaranteed volumes and agreed tariffs for the remaining period of the contract, Navios added.

The 20-year service contract was signed between Navios’ subsidiary, Navios South American Logistics, and Vale in September, 2013.

BBC with additional report from World Maritime News