UN suspends Syrian peace talks in Geneva

The UN has suspended peace talks aimed at ending Syria’s five-year civil war, the organisation’s special envoy has said. Staffan de Mistura called the temporary halt, saying there had been a lack of progress in the first week. It comes as the Syrian government claimed to have broken a siege of two towns, north-west of […]

The UN has suspended peace talks aimed at ending Syria’s five-year civil war, the organisation’s special envoy has said.
Staffan de Mistura called the temporary halt, saying there had been a lack of progress in the first week.
It comes as the Syrian government claimed to have broken a siege of two towns, north-west of Aleppo, severing a key rebel supply route into the city.
A military source said opposition-controlled areas of Aleppo were now cut off from Turkey, to the north, which backs the rebels.
The government attack north of Aleppo that began in recent days is its first major offensive there since Russian air strikes began on September 30.
Chances of achieving a ceasefire at talks in Geneva appears to be receding as the government, supported by Russian air power, advances against rebels, some of them US-backed.