Syria's civil war: Efforts intensify to protect Aleppo

Source: ALJAZEERA

Bombardment of the northern city of Aleppo shows no sign of ending even as the Syrian military extends a unilateral ceasefire around Damascus and opposition strongholds nearby for another 48 hours.
Monday's announcement of the truce extension came as a humanitarian convoy delivered aid to 12,000 families trapped in a government-besieged area in central Syria.
The Aleppo fighting threatens to scuttle the first peace talks in Geneva between President Bashar al-Assad's representatives and opposition groups which are due to resume at an unspecified date after breaking up in April.
Between 350,000 and 400,000 people are believed to remain in rebel-held parts of Aleppo, once a city of two million.
Meanwhile, in Geneva, John Kerry, the US secretary of state, said "several proposals", aimed at finding a way to restore at least a partial truce in Syria, were being discussed.
"We're getting closer to a place of understanding, but we have some work to do, and that's why we're here," he said at the start of a meeting on Monday with Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister.

Saudi condemnation

After meeting Jubeir and Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy for Syria, Kerry said he hoped for more clarity in the next day or so on restoring the nationwide ceasefire.
"What is happening in Aleppo is an outrage. It's a violation of all humanitarian laws. It's a crime," Jubeir said.
"It's a violation of all the understandings that were reached."
De Mistura, for his part, said he would travel to Moscow for talks.

The US and Russia had agreed to keep extra staff in Geneva to work on the ceasefire.

"Both sides, the opposition and the regime, have contributed to this chaos, and we are working intensely in order to try to restore the cessation of hostilities," Kerry said.
The peace talks in April in Geneva failed to make any headway, but De Mistura has said he hopes they can resume "during the course of May".
On Monday, France also called for a ministerial meeting of the international group supporting Syria to "restore the ceasefire".

Russian role in question

Al Jazeera's Diplomatic Editor James Bays, reporting from Geneva, said both opposition delegates and diplomats were questioning Russia's role in the peace efforts.
"Many diplomats will tell you Russia is not properly invested in this political process, that instead it seems they are pursuing or allowing their allies to pursue a military option," he said.
"The process is very close to collapse ... if they cannot get the cessation of hostilities back in place."
The government declared its ceasefire on Friday around Damascus, the capital's Eastern Ghouta suburbs and the coastal Latakia region in the wake of two weeks of rising violence.