(VOVworld) - The Defense Department yesterday held a video conference with Russian defense ministry counterparts. Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis announced in a statement saying that this was the latest session of their dialogue with the Russian ministry of defense under the memorandum of understanding for the safety of flight in Syria to ensure that each side continues to adhere to agreed-upon measures to prevent incidents in Syria.

Syrian government forces attacked militants (Photo: AFP/TTXVN)

In another development, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura was calling on Iran, Russia and Turkey to convene a fresh round of peace talks between Damascus and opposition groups in Astana, Kazakhstan, to bring the situation on the ground under control amid increasing militant attempts to break into the heart of the Syrian capital in defiance of a countrywide truce.