UNITED NATIONS, January 14 (Sputnik) — The United Nations Envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, detailed his effort to put an end to fighting and provide humanitarian aid in the "iconic" north-western city of Aleppo on Wednesday.
"I will continue, I can tell you, pushing for Aleppo because Aleppo has become an iconic example of where things could start sending the best signal. In other words, that bombing, shelling, barrel bombing, mortar shelling would stop, and bring some humanitarian aid, which means giving some hope to the Syrian people," de Mistura said.
"The Syrian people are just saying, enough, and we should not let them down," the UN envoy concluded.
During the course of the meeting, Kerry acknowledged the UN's role in mediating the conflict and backed Russia's role in alleviating ongoing tensions in Syria, expressing hope that "Russian efforts could be helpful."
Late last month, de Mistura confirmed his intention to attend Syrian reconciliation talks in Moscow, which are expected to be held from January 26 to January 29. According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, delegates from the Syrian government and the opposition will meet on January 28.
Syria's second largest city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Aleppo has come under a series of assaults from militants after it was regained by Syrian forces in mid-December, which was met with widespread support from the local population.
Syria's anti-government uprising in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring evolved into a civil war that has claimed the lives of some 200,000 people and displaced millions, according to UN estimates. A number of insurgent groups such as the IS are involved in fighting against the Syrian army.
