Syria offers Aleppo truce as rebels argue over talks

Syrian army soldiers loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad walk with their weapons in the Aleppo town of Naqaren, after claiming to have regained control of the town, January 14, 2014. REUTERS/George Ourfalian

MOSCOW/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The Syrian government, preparing for peace talks with rebels next week, handed the Russian co-sponsors of the conference a proposal on Friday for a ceasefire in Aleppo and an exchange of prisoners.

The offer was dismissed by some of President Bashar al-Assad's disparate opponents, whose very attendance at the talks due to start on Wednesday in Switzerland remained in doubt, despite fresh assurances from Washington that negotiations would lead to Assad's departure from power.