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 Kerry was in Geneva for talks with other dignitaries to try to
revive the first major ceasefire of the five-year Syrian war, which
was put in place in February with U.S. and Russian backing but has
since all but collapsed.
Syria announced temporary local truces in other areas last week but
has so far failed to extend it to Aleppo, where government air
strikes and rebel shelling have killed hundreds of civilians in the
past week, including more than 50 people in a hospital that rebels
say was deliberately targeted.
The Aleppo fighting threatens to wreck the first peace talks
involving the warring parties, which are due to resume at an
unspecified date after breaking up in April when the opposition
delegation walked out in anger.
"We're getting closer to a place of understanding, but we have some
work to do, and that's why we're here," Kerry said at the start of
the meeting with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir.
The civil war in Syria has killed hundred of thousands of people,
driven millions from their homes, created the world's worst refugee
crisis and provided a base for Islamic State militants who have
launched attacks elsewhere.
 The fighting has drawn in global powers and regional states, while
all diplomatic efforts to resolve it have foundered over the fate of
President Bashar al-Assad, who refuses to accept opposition demands
that he leave power.
The United States and Russia have taken the leading roles in the
latest diplomatic initiative, which began after Moscow joined the
war last year with an air campaign that tipped the balance of power
in favor of Assad, its ally.
So far, Syria has announced a "regime of calm" -- a temporary local
truce -- in the Eastern Ghouta suburb of Damascus and the
countryside of northern Latakia province, from Saturday morning. The
Latakia truce was for three days and the Ghouta truce, initially for
24 hours, was also extended by another 48.
Both are areas where there has been heavy fighting, but Aleppo
remains the biggest prize for Assad's forces, who are hoping to take
full control of the city, Syria's largest before the war. The nearby
countryside includes the last strip of the Syria-Turkish border in
the hands of Arab Sunni rebels.
A Russian military official, General Sergei Kuralenko, said talks
were under way on extending the regime of calm to Aleppo.
CIVILIANS KILLED
The opposition accuses the government of deliberately targeting
civilians in rebel held parts of Aleppo to drive them out, and says
the world must do more to force Damascus to halt air strikes.
For its part, the government says rebels have been heavily shelling
government-held areas, proving that they are receiving more
sophisticated weaponry from their foreign supporters, which include
Arab states and Turkey.
A British-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights, has reported scores of civilians killed on both sides,
although more in rebel-held territory.
 Syrian state television said on Monday that a missile had hit the
surroundings of Aleppo University Medical Hospital, and several
civilians were injured by rebel mortar attacks on the residential
area of Jamiyat Hay al Zahra in western Aleppo.
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The rebel-held local council of Aleppo city announced a state of
emergency in areas it runs due to the intense bombardment. About
350,000-400,000 people are believed to remain in rebel-held parts of
what was once a city of 2 million.
Mohammad Muaz Abu Saleh, a senior councillor in the rebel Aleppo
governate council, said residents were not abandoning
opposition-held areas, despite the intense bombardment.
"Those who wanted to leave Aleppo have fled," he said. Those who
have stayed behind "have decided to stay under all circumstances of
shelling and siege. Aleppo will remain populated with its people not
leaving."
Amar al-Absi, a resident of a rebel-held area, said: "There was
heavy shelling throughout the night. In my neighborhood, Salah
al-Deen, a missile hit a building that was empty and it was leveled
but there were no casualties."
In the countryside north of Aleppo, other rebel groups have been
fighting against Islamic State fighters, who are not party to any
ceasefire.
Amaq, a news agency affiliated to Islamic State, said the militants
had gained control of the villages of Doudayan, Tel Shaer and Iykda
from rival rebels in the northern Aleppo area near the border with
Turkey.
They said they were able cut the supply routes of other rebels in
the area, despite Turkish artillery shelling to aid the rebels
against Islamic State.
The Observatory said the militants had staged a counterattack to
regain ground lost from other rebels in to-and-fro fighting that has
seen no major gains for any side.
Turkey said it had shelled Islamic State positions across the border
and attacked them with drones on Sunday killing 34 militants in
retaliation for cross-border strikes. The death toll could not be
confirmed.
Turkey, a NATO ally, is part of a U.S.-led coalition launching air
strikes against Islamic State, but is also strongly opposed to the
main Kurdish militia in Syria, Washington's closest ally on the
ground. It is one of the leading opponents of Assad and backers of
rebels opposed to him.
Another major supporter of the rebels is Saudi Arabia, whose Foreign
Minister Jubeir condemned the recent escalation of fighting as a
"violation of all humanitarian laws" and called for Assad to step
down.
"He can leave through a political process, which we hope he will do,
or he will be removed by force," Jubeir said alongside Kerry.
(Writing by Peter Graff; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
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