Putin offers 10-hr truce in Aleppo

President Vladimir Putin has ordered a 10-hour truce on Friday in the war-ravaged Syrian city of Aleppo, the Russian defence ministry said.

"A decision was made to introduce a 'humanitarian pause' in Aleppo on November 4 from 9:00 am to 19:00," the chief of Russia's General Staff Valery Gerasimov said in a statement yesterday.

Gerasimov said the decision was approved by Syrian authorities and was meant to "prevent senseless casualties" by allowing civilians and armed combatants to quit rebel-held eastern Aleppo.

He said eight corridors -- six for civilians and two for fighters -- could be used for this. Rebels launched a major assault Friday to break the siege of Aleppo but have been met this week by fierce resistance from regime forces.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday Russia seeks "honest cooperation" for a political solution in Syria -- "the sooner the better."

"We hope our partners will draw the necessary conclusions (so that) we will all aim for honest cooperation... for a political process involving both the government and opposition forces," Lavrov said at the start of an official visit to Greece.

"We must come to an agreement, the sooner the better," he said.

Aleppo has been hit by some of the worst violence in Syria's five-year conflict, turning the once bustling economic hub into a divided and bombed-out city.

Defence ministry Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that Russia had ceased air strikes on eastern Aleppo for 16 days, following criticism over a Russian-backed Syrian government assault that has killed hundreds of civilians and destroyed infrastructure, including hospitals.