US, Russia work on Syria truce, as Islamic State blasts kill dozens
The United States and Russia will work in the next few days on a deal to curb fighting in Syria and build cooperation in the fight against terrorism, their leaders said on September 5, as blasts claimed by Islamic State killed dozens across the Arab nation.
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| Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad flash victory signs as they stand at a military complex, after they recaptured areas in southwestern Aleppo on September 4 that rebels had seized last month, Syria, in this handout picture provided by SANA on September 5, 2016. SANA/Handout via REUTERS |
U.S. President Barack Obama described talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as tough but productive after their meeting at the G20 summit in China. Putin said the two men had understood each other and an agreement on ways to significantly reduce the violence in Syria could be reached in days.
"We have had some productive conversations about what a real cessation of hostilities would look like, that would allow us both, the United States and Russia, to focus our attention on common enemies, like ISIL and Nusra," Obama said, referring to Islamic State and the hardline Nusra Front.
"We haven’t yet closed the gaps in a way where we think it would actually work," he said, but added that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov would "keep working at it over the next several days".
Putin told journalists there was a convergence of views between Russia and the United States. He said it was premature to give details about the terms of an agreement, but that the two nations would strengthen cooperation on fighting terrorism.
Truce talks were complicated on September 4 as government forces and their allies laid siege to the rebel-held eastern side of Aleppo, Syria's largest city before the war which Assad is determined to fully recapture. His gains have relied heavily on Russian air support since September last year.
Adding to the carnage, six blasts on September 5 hit west of Damascus and the government-held cities of Homs and Tartous, as well as the Kurdish-controlled northeastern province of Hasaka, state media and a monitoring group said.
Islamic State fighters carried the out suicide attacks, its Amaq news agency said on September 5.
