WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with numerous opposition factions and extremist groups fighting the Syrian army seeking to topple the government of President Bashar Assad.
The cessation of hostilities in Syria negotiated by Russia and the United States took effect on February 27.
"The United States recognizes as to people all across Syria that such a process must include a transition away from Assad," Obama stated on Wednesday. "[T]he future of Syria will be on the agenda when I meet with our Gulf Cooperation Council partners next week in Saudi Arabia."
US Continues to Work Toward Diplomatic End to Syrian Conflict
The United States is continuing to work toward a diplomatic solution to the civil war in Syria and the cessation of hostilities has largely held at least six weeks, President Barack Obama said during a news conference at the Central Intelligence Agency.
"The only way to truly destroy ISIL [the Daesh terrorist group] is to end the Syrian Civil War that ISIL has exploited, so we continue to work toward a diplomatic end to this awful conflict," Obama stated on Wednesday.
Obama noted that the cessation of hostilities in Syria has "largely held" for about six weeks and has "reduced the violence although not eliminated it."
Obama said that although the cessation of hostilities has saved lives, in areas around Aleppo "the cessation is tenuous and under strain."
