EU 'concerned' about Assad's new offensive

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has expressed her concern about reports of "new Syrian regime offensives near Aleppo and east of Damascus." 

"The EU strongly supports the U.N. efforts to resume Syrian talks and push for the political transition for the sake of Syrians, the region and the world," Mogherini said in a statement.

In Geneva, U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura criticized al-Assad's government for hindering efforts to deliver life-saving assistance to Syrians in need.

The United States and Russia co-chair the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), which is seeking to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis.

The U.S. is also "very concerned" about reports of a Russian-backed Syrian government offensive near the country's second city Aleppo, a senior administration official in Washington told AFP on April 14.

"Such actions could well violate the cessation of hostilities," the official said.

The truce has held for nearly seven weeks but has been under increasing pressure in recent weeks, the official said, reiterating a call for Russia to "cease any provocative actions in Syria." 

Syrian government fighters, rebels and jihadists are battling for control of swathes of Aleppo province.

Regime loyalists backed by Russia's air power pressed a fierce offensive just north of Aleppo, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, straining the landmark cease-fire and a nascent round of peace talks in Geneva.

U.S. officials "expressed our strong concerns" to all members of the 17-nation ISSG, including Moscow, the Washington official said, urging the Kremlin to lean on al-Assad to commit to talks about a political transition.

"Now is the time for...