Kerry warns Assad regime over truce violation

 US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that seeking military gains will not end the civil war.

    Kerry said there would be "repercussions" if the Syrian government flouted a cessation of violence agreed in February, according to the (BBC). A resurgence in fighting, particularly in the northern city of Aleppo, has threatened to derail the partial truce. 

    More than 250 people have been killed in Aleppo in the past ten days. As diplomatic efforts intensified on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a unilateral truce declared by the Syrian military could be extended to Aleppo "in the next few hours". 

    Speaking in Washington, Kerry said he was hopeful the cessation of violence could be restored, and he warned Assad of consequences if violations continued. "If Assad does not adhere to this, there will clearly be repercussions, and one of them may be the total destruction of the ceasefire and then go back to war," he said.

Source: QNA