US, Western leaders calling for immediate Aleppo cease-fire

The display of diplomatic unity appeared intended to build support for a five-day cease-fire for eastern Aleppo that several Syrian rebel groups proposed Wednesday in hopes of allowing civilians to flee, including the sick and wounded.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the statement was not in response to any existing proposals to address the violence, but was drafted to demonstrate "clear, unified, international support" for a diplomatic arrangement to reduce bloodshed and allow humanitarian aid to flow.

The calls for a pause in fighting have grown more urgent as Syrian government troops and their allies push deeper into Aleppo, forcing rebels to retreat and civilians to leave their homes.