Speaking in Geneva, Switzerland yesterday, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that the Syrian Government has now backed a ceasefire deal brokered by both the US and Russia.
The deal calls for a ceasefire in the war-torn city of Aleppo to start at sundown on Monday, September 12.
If the ceasefire holds for seven days, US and Russia forces will turn their sights against al-Nusra, an al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist organization.
Mr. Kerry, speaking alongside his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, said “Today we are announcing an arrangement that we think has the capability of sticking, but it’s dependent on people’s choices.”
Meanwhile, violence still raged on across Aleppo, a now ruined city divided into sectors controlled by opposing factions.
So far, Syrian forces backed by Russian airpower have pounded the rebel-held strongholds, causing grievous losses to civilians in the process.
Syrian army units launched an offensive shortly after the ceasefire announcement was made, presumably in an effort to maximize territorial gains before the Monday deadline.
The Syrian conflict has so far taken the lives of an estimated 400,000 people.