Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has said on Sunday that the Syrian regime was committing “war crimes” in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, which has been exposed to heavy shelling over the past nine days despite a “cessation of hostilities” agreement in place.
Jubeir said in a press statement that “what is happening in Aleppo with the Syrian regime and its allies’ air strikes is tantamount to crimes against humanity and war crimes.”
According to sources close to Jubair, the Saudi top diplomat had left for Geneva on Sunday night to hold talks on the Syrian file with his US counterpart John Kerry.
It had been relatively quiet in the city of Aleppo on Sunday after earlier bombings killed since the 253 civilians dead, including 49 children since April 22, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is in Geneva in an attempt to bolster a fragile, partial ceasefire in Syria.
Mr Kerry is due to hold urgent talks on the situation with the UN envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, and the Saudi and Jordanian foreign ministers.
A top priority, he said, was ending the violence in the northern city of Aleppo.
A Russian defence official said earlier that negotiations were taking place to establish a ceasefire there.
The US wants Russia to put pressure on its ally the Syrian government to stop what it says is indiscriminate bombardment.
“We are talking directly to the Russians, even now,” Mr Kerry said on arrival in the Swiss city, as he began talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.
“These are critical hours. We look for Russia’s co-operation. We obviously look for the regime to listen to Russia and to respond to the international communities’ powerful statement to the UN Security Council.”
The US secretary of state stressed that a UN Security Council Resolution called for a “full country, countrywide, cessation and also for all of the country to be accessible to humanitarian assistance”.
“Obviously that hasn’t happened and isn’t happening,” he said.
Speaking from Russia’s Hmeimim air force base in Syria, Lt Gen Sergei Kuralenko told Russian news agencies that “active negotiations” were under way to establish a “regime of calm in Aleppo province”.
The Russian defence ministry official gave no details but added that “regime of calm” around the Syrian capital had been extended until 21:00 GMT on Monday.
His comments indicate a shift in Russia’s position. On Saturday, Moscow said it would not force the Syrian military to stop its campaign, which has threatened the complete collapse of peace efforts. Reports suggest the situation in Aleppo was quieter on Sunday than in recent days despite some new air strikes by government forces and shelling by rebels.

Source: News Agencies, 2 May 2016