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| Syria conflict: UN envoy calls on US and Russia to save talks | Syria conflict: UN envoy calls on US and Russia to save talks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The UN envoy to Syria has urged the US and Russia to intervene "at the highest level" to save struggling peace talks. | The UN envoy to Syria has urged the US and Russia to intervene "at the highest level" to save struggling peace talks. |
| Speaking after briefing the Security Council on the peace process, Staffan de Mistura said a partial truce agreed in February was "barely alive". | Speaking after briefing the Security Council on the peace process, Staffan de Mistura said a partial truce agreed in February was "barely alive". |
| Violence in Syria has intensified in recent days, despite the ceasefire. | Violence in Syria has intensified in recent days, despite the ceasefire. |
| At least 20 civilians were reportedly killed on Wednesday in government strikes on a hospital and nearby residential building in eastern Aleppo. | At least 20 civilians were reportedly killed on Wednesday in government strikes on a hospital and nearby residential building in eastern Aleppo. |
| The dead included children, a dentist and the only paediatrician left in rebel-held areas of the city, civil defence volunteers told AFP news agency. | The dead included children, a dentist and the only paediatrician left in rebel-held areas of the city, civil defence volunteers told AFP news agency. |
| Over the past week, more than 100 civilians have been killed in renewed bombardment by both rebel and government forces in Syria's largest city, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. | Over the past week, more than 100 civilians have been killed in renewed bombardment by both rebel and government forces in Syria's largest city, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. |
| The upsurge in violence comes amid reports that the Syrian army, backed by Russian air power, is gearing up for a major offensive in Aleppo. | |
| The escalation has threatened to derail the UN-brokered peace talks, which resumed last month. | |
| The Western-backed opposition delegation, the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), last week suspended its role to protest against alleged ceasefire violations by the government and a fall in humanitarian aid deliveries to besieged areas. | |
| Russia's continuing war | Russia's continuing war |
| Has opportunity for peace been lost? | Has opportunity for peace been lost? |
| What is left of Syria? | What is left of Syria? |
| Assad's growing confidence | Assad's growing confidence |
| Speaking on Wednesday after a third round of talks in Geneva, Mr de Mistura said the fragile "cessation of hostilities" "could collapse any time". | Speaking on Wednesday after a third round of talks in Geneva, Mr de Mistura said the fragile "cessation of hostilities" "could collapse any time". |
| He said that over the past 48 hours an average of one Syrian had been killed every 25 minutes and one wounded every 13 minutes. | He said that over the past 48 hours an average of one Syrian had been killed every 25 minutes and one wounded every 13 minutes. |
| For the peace talks to succeed, Mr de Mistura said, hostilities would need to be reduced to the levels seen immediately following the February agreement. | For the peace talks to succeed, Mr de Mistura said, hostilities would need to be reduced to the levels seen immediately following the February agreement. |
| Calling on the US and Russia to co-operate, he said the legacies of both President Barack Obama and President Vladimir Putin were linked to the success of the peace process in Syria. | |
| There will be one or two more rounds of talks before July, Mr de Mistura said. He added: "There are still major differences on the major issues, but there is movement on certain areas where there was not before." | There will be one or two more rounds of talks before July, Mr de Mistura said. He added: "There are still major differences on the major issues, but there is movement on certain areas where there was not before." |
| Mr de Mistura also said that equal rights and equal representation in major institutions for women was essential to the transition to a new Syria. | Mr de Mistura also said that equal rights and equal representation in major institutions for women was essential to the transition to a new Syria. |
| The peace talks do not involve the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra front and the so-called Islamic State, which have been fighting government forces and other rebels across Syria. | The peace talks do not involve the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra front and the so-called Islamic State, which have been fighting government forces and other rebels across Syria. |
| More than 270,000 people have been killed since Syria's bitter civil war conflict erupted in 2011 and millions have been forced to flee. | More than 270,000 people have been killed since Syria's bitter civil war conflict erupted in 2011 and millions have been forced to flee. |