US, Western leaders calling for immediate Aleppo cease-fire
WASHINGTON — The United States and five other Western powers called Wednesday for an immediate cease-fire in the Syrian city of Aleppo and accused Russia of blocking efforts to halt the bloodshed.
In a joint statement, the leaders of Britain, Germany, Italy, France, Canada and the U.S. demanded that Syria’s government address the humanitarian crisis by allowing United Nations aid in to eastern Aleppo. They said the U.N. should investigate reports of war crimes committed in Syria.
“We condemn the actions of the Syrian regime and its foreign backers, especially Russia, for their obstruction of humanitarian aid,” the leaders said, adding that hospitals and schools appeared to have been targeted “in an attempt to wear people down.”
The display of diplomatic unity appeared intended to build support for a five-day cease-fire for eastern Aleppo that several Syrian rebel groups proposed Wednesday in hopes of allowing civilians to flee, including the sick and wounded. But White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the statement was not in response to any specific proposals.