With the Syrian and Russian governments pressing an offensive against rebel-held parts of Aleppo, no one predicted a breakthrough. Yet after last month’s collapse of a ceasefire and even US charges of Russian war crimes, the US secretary of state John Kerry’s portrayal of the result as “exactly what we wanted” sounded unconvincing. Russia and Syria must face war crimes investigations, says John Kerry Read moreKerry said the discussion was driven by the “urgency of Aleppo, the urgency of trying to find something that works other than military action”. Days of deadly airstrikes in Aleppo prompted Kerry last month to end bilateral US-Russian engagement on Syria, including discussions over a proposed military alliance against Isis and al-Qaida-linked militants in Syria. Last week he accused Russia of war crimes for targeting hospitals and civilian infrastructure in Syria.

Source: The Guardian October 15, 2016 20:53 UTC