The remarks came after the Syrian military announced on Monday that a fragile ceasefire in the northwestern Syrian city of Aleppo and its surroundings has been extended for another 48 hours.
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In the statement, the countries said that they would work toward developing a “shared understanding” of where Daesh and Nusra are operating, “and to consider ways to deal decisively against the threat posed by ISIL and the Nusra Front to Syria and worldwide security”.
Two opposition monitoring groups are reporting multiple air raids on a rebel-held area and shelling of government-controlled parts of the northern city of Aleppo hours before a five-day cease-fire was to expire.
Speaking to US Secretary of State John Kerry on the phone on Monday, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said that measures must be taken to stop “extremists” in Syria being supplied via Turkish territory. The co-chairs also demanded an end by all parties to “indiscriminate attacks” on civilians, civilian infrastructure and medical facilities.
Talks in Geneva last month broke up amid acrimony.
Airstrikes on a hospital and a refugee camp in rebel-held areas of northern Syria in recent weeks killed an estimated 80 people, causing global outrage.
“The Russian Federation and United States are determined to redouble efforts to reach a political settlement of the Syrian conflict”, read a joint statement published by the Foreign Ministry in Moscow.
Russia’s military intervention last September helped President Bashar al-Assad reverse some rebel gains in the west of the country, including in Aleppo province.
Jaish al-Fatah, or Army of Conquest, last week began a wide offensive near Aleppo, capturing the village of Khan Touman and killing dozens of fighters, including 13 members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards.
“The truce has not been done for the interests of the Syrian people”, he said.
Iran later said only 15 RGC personnel, including two senior commanders, had been killed in the fighting.
The display of unity came as leaders of nations supporting the western-backed opposition coalition gathered in Paris to meet with the coalition’s head, Riad Hijab, in a bid to keep the truce alive and relaunch faltering peace talks.
It was unclear whether Washington’s announcement would mean more cease-fires will be announced.
The Observatory said warplanes struck rebel-held areas of the city early on Monday, and rebels fired shells into government-held neighborhoods.
The Badr Movement, an Iraqi group fighting outside of Aleppo, released photographs and said they show that Qasim Suleimani is in Aleppo in order to lead battles there and restore areas lost by Iranian forces and the mercenaries under their command. Damascus has denied targeting the camp or obstructing aid deliveries.
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“It is not Daesh (Islamic State) that is being attacked in Aleppo, it is the moderate opposition”, he said.
