US, Russia Reach Ceasefire Deal in Southwest Syria - US Official

US, Russia and other countries active in the region have reached a ceasefire deal in southwestern Syria, Reuters reported citing a US official as saying after the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Donald Trump on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Hamburg on Friday.

The first ever meeting between the two presidents lasted two hours and twenty minutes.

Prior to the meeting, the presidents exchanged pleasantries, shook hands, and said they expected positive results from their talks.

Early on Friday, the G20 summit kicked off in the German city of Hamburg, bringing together the leaders of major world countries and developing economies.

The Syrian civil war has been raging for six years, with government forces fighting against both Syrian opposition groups who strive to overthrow President Bashar Assad, and numerous extremist and terrorist groups such as the Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al Sham, both of which are outlawed in Russia.

Russia and Turkey are the guarantors of a nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime that came into force on December 30, 2016 and has been holding up in general, despite continued reports of violations. The UN Security Council passed a resolution in December 2016 supporting the effort.