Syria opposition's Hijab says need general ceasefire, talks at dead end

Riad Hijab, chief coordinator High Negotiations Committee (HNC) addresses a news conference aside of Syria peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland, April 19, 2016. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

BERLIN (Reuters) - Attempts at a dialogue with the Syrian government have reached an impasse and no progress in ending the civil war is possible without the departure of President Bashar al-Assad, the coordinator for the Syrian opposition said on Wednesday.

The first major ceasefire in Syria's five-year civil war, which took hold in February with U.S. and Russian sponsorship, has virtually collapsed in recent weeks, with the city of Aleppo bearing the brunt of the renewed violence.