GENEVA—Fresh air strikes pummeled the Syrian city of Aleppo on Monday as US Secretary of State John Kerry made a desperate bid to salvage a two-month ceasefire in the war-torn country.
Arriving in Geneva late on Sunday, Kerry was to hold talks with UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura and the Saudi foreign minister, but the absence of Russia cast a pall over the proceedings.
Washington and Moscow are the joint sponsors of the Syrian peace process, and de Mistura has made it clear that he sees little hope of progress without their agreement.
But Russia, while agreeing in theory to support a ceasefire, has done little to rein in Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces around Aleppo, which were in action again on Monday.
More than a week of fighting in and around Syria’s second city has killed hundreds of civilians and fresh air strikes hit rebel-held eastern Aleppo in the early hours.
Several neighborhoods, including the heavily-populated Bustan al-Qasr district, were hit, according to AFP’s correspondent in the northern Syrian city.
“What is happening in Aleppo is an outrage. It’s a violation of all humanitarian laws. It’s a crime,” said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir as he met Kerry.
“It’s a violation of all the understandings that were reached,” he continued, accusing Assad and the Russians of violating the international agreements to back peace.
Kerry was more measured in his response, explaining that Washington will press moderate rebels to separate themselves from the Al-Nusra Front’s jihadists in Aleppo.
Russia and Assad’s regime have used the presence of Al-Nusra, which was not party to a February 27 ceasefire deal, as an excuse to press their offensive.
“This is what we’re discussing, among other things. There are a number of different ways to approach it,” Kerry said, before the envoys went behind closed doors.
“There were a lot of conversations taking place yesterday, the day before, today, and we’re getting closer to a place of understanding. But we have some work to do.”
Arriving late on Sunday, the top US diplomat had said: “We are talking directly to the Russians, even now.
“The hope is we can make some progress,” he said ahead of a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.
There is growing concern that the fighting will lead to the complete collapse of the landmark ceasefire agreed between Assad’s regime and non-jihadist rebels.
