Russia announced it would hold talks with the United States regarding a ceasefire agreement in Aleppo. The announcement comes amid the current Russian bombardment of Aleppo, after what was reported as a lull in fighting in the region. The airstrikes have killed more than 50 people in the past 24 hours and left dozens wounded.
The meeting to discuss a ceasefire is to take place in Lausanne, Switzerland and involve Russia, the United States, and other states in the region including Turkey, Suadi Arabia, and possibly Qatar. According to the Russian government, the meeting is meant to be a business-like discussion as opposed to General Assembly format. Those absent from the meeting would be anyone representing the government in Damascus.
Conditions in Aleppo are worsening. Drinking water is limited and food rations have had to be halved. International aid groups and UN agencies have called for an end to the violence and permission of relief supplies into the region, but all in vain. Medical facilities and vehicles continue to be attacked. Aleppo has now only 11 working ambulances, five of which have been bombed and eight damaged.
Just days ago, Russia blocked a resolution by France and Spain in the UN Security Council to end the conflict. Russia blamed Paris for not allowing the proposal to be amended. The veto prompted France to call on the International Criminal Court to investigate Russia for war crimes in Syria.
For more information, please read:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/10/air-strikes-hit-largest-market-rebel-held-aleppo-161012140021035.html%20
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/syria-heavy-russian-bombardment-kills-55-aleppo-161012083239564.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37625785
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-aleppo-idUSKCN12B14M