US and Russia reach agreement on Aleppo truce

The United States and Russia have persuaded Syria's government and moderate rebels to extend the country's fragile truce to the northern city of Aleppo, although sporadic clashes continue, U.S. officials said Wednesday.

The agreement was reached late Tuesday and took effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday Damascus time (7 a.m. EDT), said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly discuss the diplomatic developments. A formal announcement was expected later Wednesday.