BEIRUT - A ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia and the United States is due to begin at sundown Monday, after scores of civilians were killed in a bloody weekend of strikes. But even as world powers threw their support behind the deal, weekend strikes on the key opposition cities of Aleppo and Idlib killed at least 74. Regime air raids on rebel-held parts of Aleppo killed six civilians and wounded 30 on Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. - Assad, allies welcome truce -State news agency SANA reported Saturday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government "approved the agreement" for a truce. Pro-government Syrian newspaper Al-Watan said on Sunday the deal would pave the way for renewed peace talks in Geneva.

Source: Bangkok Post September 12, 2016 02:48 UTC