Syria conflict: Kerry hopes to salvage truce as new raids hit Aleppo

US Secretary of State John Kerry says envoys meeting in Geneva are getting closer to an understanding on salvaging the cessation of hostilities in Syria.

He told reporters progress was being made on a plan to reduce the violence in the second city of Aleppo, which has threatened to sink the nine-week truce.
But he accused the Syrian government of "blatantly violating" the agreement to halt hostilities and allow aid in.
About 250 people have reportedly been killed in Aleppo in the past nine days.
On Monday, fresh government air strikes and artillery attacks on rebel-held districts and suburbs of Aleppo left at least three dead, activists said.
Mr Kerry, speaking after a morning of talks in Geneva, said the conflict in Syria was "in many ways out of control and deeply disturbing".
He said the cessation of hostilities had had "a profoundly positive effect" and saved many lives, but in recent weeks it had been "put to the test".
"It has frayed in certain areas and fallen completely in a few areas," he said.
"We are engaged in an effort with all members of the international Syria Support Group and with Russia, particularly, in an effort to restore that cessation of hostilities in those places where it been most at risk or most shredded."
The secretary of state also announced a beefing up of the negotiations in Geneva, with additional US and Russian officials posted there.
The UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura will travel to Russia on Tuesday and Mr Kerry said he would speak to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, later on Monday.
Mr Kerry's trip to Geneva was hastily arranged after Mr de Mistura appealed to the US and Russia, which back opposing sides in Syria's five-year conflict, to rescue the cessation of hostilities they brokered in February.
At the start of his meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Monday, the US secretary of state said he would press rebel groups operating in Aleppo to separate themselves from the powerful jihadist group, al-Nusra Front.

"This is what we're discussing, among other things. There are a number of different ways to approach it," Mr Kerry told reporters.