Russia says talks to extend Syrian lull in fighting to Aleppo
MOSCOW/BEIRUT - Russia said on Sunday talks were taking place to include Aleppo in a temporary lull in fighting declared by the Syrian army in some western parts of the country, a sign of intensified efforts to halt a surge of violence in its former commercial capital.
The United States said stopping the bloodshed in Aleppo, which has been at the centre of an escalation of violence that has all but destroyed a wider ceasefire deal and broke up peace talks in Geneva, was a top priority.
Nearly 10 days of bombardments by both the government side and insurgents in the city of Aleppo has killed more than 250 people, a monitoring group says, confounding hopes of an end to five years of war. The city was calmer on Sunday, a monitoring group said, but rebel shellfire hit one area, and there were government air raids on its outskirts.
