US – Russia agree to Syrian cease fire

After months of negotiations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State John Kerry have agreed to a cease fire in the Syrian war. The agreement goes into effect tomorrow with the, “the cessation of all air and ground attacks by all parties, including the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.” The agreement will bring a “pause” to fighting particularly in Aleppo, which will allow for humanitarian aid to reach civilians in need. The situation in Aleppo is dire with essentially no supplies reaching the city since early summer when it became encircled by Assad’s forces. The agreement looks promising and has the potential to bring about a more sustained peace. The next few weeks will be crucial, however, as a similar agreement was reached in February only to see the fighting resume a few weeks later.