48-hour 'silence regime' starts in Syria's Aleppo

Damascus, June 16: A 48-hour “silence regime” was enforced on Thursday in the war-ravaged Syrian city of Aleppo, officials announced on Thursday. The silence regime is aimed at reducing armed violence and stabilise the situation in the Syrian city, the Russian Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides said. The US and Russia have been working to enforce ceasefires in the city and surrounding region, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier, opposition groups were fighting with government troops in Aleppo. Syria has been mired in a civil war since March 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fighting many opposition factions and extremist groups. (IANS)