Church bells ring around the world in protest of Aleppo siege

Over 500 churches across the world have been ringing their bells at 5 p.m. daily to protest the brutal siege in the Syrian city of Aleppo and demand an end to the ongoing killings of civilians.

About 250,000 to 300,000 civilians are believed to be stranded in the eastern part of the city as the fighting escalates. Al Jazeera reported that the food supply is dwindling and the medical care in underground hospitals are limited as air strikes continue to hit the city.

The movement known as "Bells for Aleppo" was started on Oct. 12 by the Evangelical Lutheran Parish of Kallio in Helsinki, Finland. By Oct. 16, over 300 churches in Finland and other parts of the world started ringing their bells in solidarity .

"After reading the news that day, of Aleppo, we decided to ring funeral bells at 5 p.m. to remember the death. First I just asked a few local churches to join us," Dr. Teemu Laajasalo, Vicar of Kallio Parish, told Reuters.

More than 500 churches from 20 countries including Britain, the U.S. and Australia have pledged to ring their bells daily. The campaign ended on United Nations Day on Oct. 24.

"We all see the devastating events in Aleppo, but at the same time feel powerless to help, because of the complexity of the situation. With the bells, we want to make our voices heard, and give hope for better future," Laajasalo added.

The Russian military announced a ceasefire that began on Thursday to allow the evacuation of civilians. The residents in eastern Aleppo have been told by the Syrian and Russian armies to leave the city through designated corridors. However, the Syrian state media reported that the rebels prevented the civilians from fleeing.

The heavy fighting and airstrikes resumed on Saturday without any aid delivery or evacuation. That same day, the Free Syrian Army warned the residents to stay away from Syrian government buildings for their safety.