(Damascus) Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi announced that Russia and Syria are preparing a joint operation to seize Aleppo City on April 10. Although Russia later denied any plans to "storm" the city, thousands of pro-regime fighters have reportedly begun to mass near Aleppo. Meanwhile, Syria held a new round parliamentary elections on April 13. The ballots only occurred in regime-held areas and opposition groups condemned the election as a sham. These activities risk the total collapse of a tenuous 'cessation of hostilities' and corresponding UN-led peace process, fuelling a new round of violence in the Syrian Civil War.
