In Syria, fighting continued during a five-hour pause declared by Russia in the embattled Eastern Ghouta region on Tuesday.

It was supposed to be the first humanitarian ceasefire since pro-government forces started bombing the rebel-held enclave on February 18th. A UK-based war monitor reported air raids and rocket fire during the pause. The Russian military accused the rebels of shelling humanitarian corridors which were to be used for evacuating civilians. Meanwhile, the French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian held talks on Syria with his Russian counterpart. He said only Moscow was able to put the required pressure on the Syrian government to ensure it abided by a new ceasefire.