Following the Syrian rebels victory to break the month-long siege in South Aleppo, fighters from the rebel alliance said they found civilians including women and children that were used by the Assad regime as human shields to prevent their advancement.
One Syrian rebel commander said they were able to evacuate the civilians out of the harm’s way and to a safe place.

Anas Jarkas, a commander of first regiment rebel group told the AFP reporter that “we found civilians, children, women and young people that the regime had used as human shields.”
The commander added that the regime’s aim was to prevent the advancement of the rebels toward the regime stronghold. “They were used to prevent us from approaching. But thanks God, not a single one of them was injured”, said Jarkas.
The civilians were taken out of the fighting area, according to the commander.

Source, taken from an AFP interview, Aug 8, 2016