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Why is Pentagon skeptical over Putin's call for ceasefire?

Syrian rebels shelled government-controlled parts of Aleppo on Thursday in an attempt to break a siege of the eastern part of the city hours before the Russian-declared ceasefire was due to begin.

At least people were killed in rebel rocket and gunfire on regime-controlled neighbourhoods, state media said, news agency AFP reported.

Rebels have been unable to break a three-month siege through government lines in western Aleppo.

&quot;We have started the second phase in our fight to break the siege with heavy artillery fire&quot; on several neighbourhoods, rebel fighter Abu Hamza told AFP on the edges of Aleppo.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the &quot;most intense fighting&quot; was on the edges of Halab al-Jadida neighbourhood.

The United Nations on October 25 had blamed all sides in Syria after renewed fighting and air strikes in the Syrian city of Aleppo prevented the medical evacuations and aid deliveries from reaching the war-ravaged city.&nbsp;

UN aid agencies had held days of negotiations to try to secure safe passage for the sick and wounded, but the effort came to a halt when fighting resumed after three days of truce.&nbsp;

Rebel fire killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 200, SANA news agency said. The Observatory said 15 had been killed, four of them children. A total of 69 civilians have been killed in rebel fire since Friday.

Russia on Wednesday told Syrian rebels in Aleppo to leave by Friday evening, indicating a moratorium on air strikes in the war-battered city.

The Russian defence ministry said that rebels would be allowed to exit the city unharmed and with their weapons on November 4 between 0900 and 1900 local time through two special corridors.

Rebels have,however, rejected the calls and denied there were corridors, a member of an Aleppo-based insurgent group told Reuters.

&quot;This is completely out of the question. We will not give up the city of Aleppo to the Russians and we won&#39;t surrender,&quot; Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group told Reuters.

No UN aid convoy has entered Aleppo since July 7 and food rations will run out by the end of October, UN chief Ban Ki-moon had warned last month.

Once Syria&#39;s economic powerhouse, Aleppo has been divided since mid-2012 between government control in the west and rebels in the east, AFP said.

More than 300,000 have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in 2011 with anti-government protests that spiralled into a multi-front war involving regime, rebels, Kurds and jihadists like IS.

(With inputs from agencies)

Rebels have been battling for nearly a week in a desperate bid to break the three-month siege

Syrian rebels shelled government-controlled parts of Aleppo on Thursday in an attempt to break a siege of the eastern part of the city hours before the Russian-declared ceasefire was due to begin. At least people were killed in rebel rocket and gunfire on regime-controlled neighbourhoods, state media said, news agency AFP reported. Rebels have been unable to break a three-month siege through government lines in western Aleppo. "We have started the second phase in our fight to break the siege with heavy artillery fire" on several neighbourhoods, rebel fighter Abu Hamza told AFP on the edges of Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the "most intense fighting" was on the edges of Halab al-Jadida neighbourhood. The United Nations on October 25 had blamed all sides in Syria after renewed fighting and air strikes in the Syrian city of Aleppo prevented the medical evacuations and aid deliveries from reaching the war-ravaged city. UN aid agencies had held days of negotiations to try to secure safe passage for the sick and wounded, but the effort came to a halt when fighting resumed after three days of truce. Rebel fire killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 200, SANA news agency said. The Observatory said 15 had been killed, four of them children. A total of 69 civilians have been killed in rebel fire since Friday. Russia on Wednesday told Syrian rebels in Aleppo to leave by Friday evening, indicating a moratorium on air strikes in the war-battered city. The Russian defence ministry said that rebels would be allowed to exit the city unharmed and with their weapons on November 4 between 0900 and 1900 local time through two special corridors. Rebels have,however, rejected the calls and denied there were corridors, a member of an Aleppo-based insurgent group told Reuters. "This is completely out of the question. We will not give up the city of Aleppo to the Russians and we won't surrender," Zakaria Malahifji of the Fastaqim rebel group told Reuters. No UN aid convoy has entered Aleppo since July 7 and food rations will run out by the end of October, UN chief Ban Ki-moon had warned last month. Once Syria's economic powerhouse, Aleppo has been divided since mid-2012 between government control in the west and rebels in the east, AFP said. More than 300,000 have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in 2011 with anti-government protests that spiralled into a multi-front war involving regime, rebels, Kurds and jihadists like IS. (With inputs from agencies)

Syria rebels renew Aleppo attack before Russia ceasefire

Russia on Monday announced an eight-hour &quot;humanitarian&quot; ceasefire in Syria&#39;s rebel-held city Aleppo later this week, the AFP reported.

The ceasefire would run from 0800 to 1600 local time (0500 GMT to 1300 GMT) in the city, senior Russian military officer Sergei Rudskoi told the press in Moscow.

&quot;We have taken a decision not to waste time and to introduce &#39;humanitarian pauses&#39;, mainly for the free passage of civilians, evacuation of the sick and wounded and withdrawal of fighters,&quot; Rudskoi said. &quot;During this period the Russian air force and Syrian government troops will halt air strikes and firing from any other types of weapons.&quot;

The announcement came the same day that EU warned that the Russia-backed air-strikes in Aleppo could amount to war crimes.

&quot;Since the beginning of the offensive by the regime and its allies, notably Russia, the intensity and scale of the aerial bombardment of eastern Aleppo is clearly disproportionate,&quot; EU foreign ministers said at a meet in Luxembourg.

&quot;The deliberate targeting of hospitals, medical personnel, schools and essential infrastructure, as well as the use of barrel bombs, cluster bombs, and chemical weapons, constitute a catastrophic escalation of the conflict... and may amount to war crimes,&quot; they said in a statement.

The United Nations and European Union welcomed the announcement but said the ceasefire was too short to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid, AFP reported.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said that as per aid agencies, at least 12 hours were needed to evacuate civilians.

&quot;It can be a start... for sure it is a positive step,&quot; she said after the ministerial meeting in Luxembourg. &quot;The latest assessment from the aid agencies (however) is that 12 hours is needed so work is needed to find common ground.&quot;

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said there was &quot;need for a longer pause in order to get the aid in,&quot; AFP reported.

The EU ministers said they would also press ahead with extending sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s regime, but stopped short of threatening measures against Russia.

Air-strikes and clashes in Aleppo have increased as Russian-backed Syrian forces announced their assault on the rebel-held eastern part of the city on September 22. More than 430 people have been killed since then, AFP reports.

Monday&#39;s air-strikes in eastern Aleppo killed dozens of civilians including 12 members of the same family, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The deaths take the number of people killed since Sunday morning to 47. Another 82 people died in rebel fire on government-held neighbourhoods in the west. Further west in Aleppo province, Russian raids killed 23 people in the village of Uwaijal on Monday, the Observatory said.

On Saturday, US Secretary of State John Kerry met envoys from Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Qatar to find a solution to the crisis in the war-ravaged country.

The meeting ended without any major breakthrough and the envoys agreed to meet for follow-up talks. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

The UN and EU say that the truce needs to be longer to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid

Russia on Monday announced an eight-hour "humanitarian" ceasefire in Syria's rebel-held city Aleppo later this week, the AFP reported. The ceasefire would run from 0800 to 1600 local time (0500 GMT to 1300 GMT) in the city, senior Russian military officer Sergei Rudskoi told the press in Moscow. "We have taken a decision not to waste time and to introduce 'humanitarian pauses', mainly for the free passage of civilians, evacuation of the sick and wounded and withdrawal of fighters," Rudskoi said. "During this period the Russian air force and Syrian government troops will halt air strikes and firing from any other types of weapons." The announcement came the same day that EU warned that the Russia-backed air-strikes in Aleppo could amount to war crimes. "Since the beginning of the offensive by the regime and its allies, notably Russia, the intensity and scale of the aerial bombardment of eastern Aleppo is clearly disproportionate," EU foreign ministers said at a meet in Luxembourg. "The deliberate targeting of hospitals, medical personnel, schools and essential infrastructure, as well as the use of barrel bombs, cluster bombs, and chemical weapons, constitute a catastrophic escalation of the conflict... and may amount to war crimes," they said in a statement. The United Nations and European Union welcomed the announcement but said the ceasefire was too short to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid, AFP reported. EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said that as per aid agencies, at least 12 hours were needed to evacuate civilians. "It can be a start... for sure it is a positive step," she said after the ministerial meeting in Luxembourg. "The latest assessment from the aid agencies (however) is that 12 hours is needed so work is needed to find common ground." UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said there was "need for a longer pause in order to get the aid in," AFP reported. The EU ministers said they would also press ahead with extending sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, but stopped short of threatening measures against Russia. Air-strikes and clashes in Aleppo have increased as Russian-backed Syrian forces announced their assault on the rebel-held eastern part of the city on September 22. More than 430 people have been killed since then, AFP reports. Monday's air-strikes in eastern Aleppo killed dozens of civilians including 12 members of the same family, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The deaths take the number of people killed since Sunday morning to 47. Another 82 people died in rebel fire on government-held neighbourhoods in the west. Further west in Aleppo province, Russian raids killed 23 people in the village of Uwaijal on Monday, the Observatory said. On Saturday, US Secretary of State John Kerry met envoys from Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Qatar to find a solution to the crisis in the war-ravaged country. The meeting ended without any major breakthrough and the envoys agreed to meet for follow-up talks. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Russia announces 8-hour ceasefire in Aleppo; EU warns of 'war crimes'