US, Russia Agree to Extend Aleppo Truce

Local Editor

A cessation of hostilities in Aleppo was agreed on between Russia and the US, where intense day-long terrorists' shelling continued against the Syrian largest city.

The State Department said the truce went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Damascus time on Wednesday, but acknowledged the fighting had not stopped.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said he was not surprised that fighting continued in some areas, adding both sides were working to communicate with commanders in the field.

Kerry, meeting with EU foreign policy Chief Federica Mogherini at the State Department, said it was vital that both sides abide by the agreement.

There was no immediate response from Moscow to the announcement of an agreement, but the Syrian army said it would implement a "regime of calm" in Aleppo for 48 hours as of Thursday.

The surge in bloodshed in Aleppo, Syria's biggest strategic prize, wrecked the first major "cessation of hostilities" agreement of the war, sponsored by Washington and Moscow, which had held since February.

Russia's UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, addressing a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Aleppo, said an agreement would have been announced on Tuesday but opposition attacks in Aleppo had prevented it from happening.

"The deterioration in certain areas of Syria, including Aleppo, is a serious source of concern. The government forces are fighting off a large-scale offensive by the terrorists [in Aleppo]," he told the council.

Kerry said the United States was coordinating closely with Russia to finalize strengthened monitoring of the extension of the cessation of hostilities to Aleppo.

He said he expected a meeting of the International Syrian Support Group, a grouping of foreign ministers of European and Middle Eastern government chaired by Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, to meet within the next two weeks.

In Berlin, the German and French foreign ministers said achieving a ceasefire in Aleppo was critical to renewing peace talks.

"I believe everyone knows and can conclude that there could be no return to the political talks in Geneva if a ceasefire in and around Aleppo is not observed," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters.

During the Security Council meeting, UN political chief Jeffrey Feltman said a consolidated truce and greater humanitarian aid access were needed to ensure the next round of Syria peace talks - set for this month - were credible. Without progress, he said there was a "real risk of a failed political process."

"The current levels of violence in Aleppo, in particular, negatively impact the ability of the Syrian parties to engage in negotiations," Feltman said.

UN aid chief Stephen O'Brien told the 15-member council that life for the people in Aleppo was horrendous and they were "living under daily threat and terror."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team