Syrian government agrees to stop Aleppo strikes

UN envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura has said that Damascus is ready to suspend its bombardment of Aleppo for six weeks for a trial ceasefire. De Mistura said that these developments showed a glimmer of hope although it remained unclear when the ceasefire would take effect.

The opposition Syrian National Council on the other hand, said the government would be judged by actions rather than words.

Government forces have been engaged in heavy fighting as they try to cut an essential rebel supply route.

More than 100 soldiers and rebels have reportedly been killed as the army captured several villages north of the city on Tuesday.

De Mistura has been working since October to negotiate what are called "local freezes" in the ighting in Syria, that would start with Aleppo.

During a recent visit to the country, he held a long meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, where the Syrian president allegedly showed an inclination to end all aerial bombing and artillery shelling of Aleppo for a six-week period.

De Mistura said he would return to Syria as soon as possible to announce a freeze in the fighting in the northern city. The opposition forces would also be expected to suspend their mortar and rocket fire during this period.

Reports show that Aleppo has been divided between rebel and government control since fighting started in the city in mid-2012.

However, soldiers,backed by pro-government militiamen and fighters from Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, have made steady advances since launching an offensive to retake the rebel-held west of the city last year.

On Monday, the pro-government al-Watan newspaper reported that government forces aimed to completely surround Aleppo this week in a major offensive against rebels.

According to reports, Aleppo-based rebels and opposition activists have expressed concerns that the government will exploit any local truces to deploy its forces to fight elsewhere, and they have also questioned how they will work with jihadist militants from the Islamic State group in the area.