US and Russia pledge to redouble efforts to end Syria war

The US and Russia have decided to redouble efforts in maintaining peace in Syria and extend the truce around Aleppo city for 48 hours beginning 1am local time on 10 May, in an attempt to end the five-year civil war in Arab nation.

US Secretary of State, John Kerry met his counterparts in Paris on 9 May to discuss the agreement between Washington and Moscow to fight Islamic State (Isis) and to restore Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) in Syria.

The Syrian opposition has asked authorities to focus on maintaining peace across the entire country and not focus on making arrangements of short-term truce around war-torn areas. The CoH was first signed by US and Russia – who are supporting rival factions in the Syrian war – in February 2016. Russia is supporting President Bashar al-Assad, while the US is on the side of the rebels.

Since, the CoH was signed, there has been a significant decrease in fighting in some parts of the country, including around Northwestern Latakia province and East Ghouta near Damascus suburbs.

The agreement also intends to enhance efforts and provide humanitarian aid in besieged areas in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution, a joint statement from the US and the Russian Federation said.

All parties involved in the ceasefire agreement have been called to prevent material and financial support to IS (Daesh), the al Nusra Front and any other terrorist group, to prevent them from attempting to cross the Syrian border.

The White House has said that it is "committed to intensifying its support and assistance to regional allies to help them prevent the flow of fighters, weapons, or financial support to terrorist organisations across their borders".

Russia too has assured to "work with the Syrian authorities to minimise aviation operations over areas that are predominantly inhabited by civilians or parties to the cessation".

Earlier, talks in Geneva brokered by the UN, threatened to end the 10-week-old partial truce between Russia and the US. Since April 2016, at least 250 civilians have been killed in conflicts in Aleppo – which was once Syria's second-largest city, Al Jazeera reported.

The US Embassy in Syria has tweeted that coalition forces have conducted 162 airstrikes against IS targets in Syria and Iraq between 30 April and 6 May.