A 48-hour ceasefire took hold on Thursday in Syria's battered northern city of Aleppo after government troops and rebel forces gave in to mounting diplomatic pressure from Russia and the United States.

Relieved residents returned to the streets after two weeks of heavy fighting. The Syrian army said on Wednesday that the truce would begin from 1 am on Thursday. But it again blamed the Islamist insurgents for violating the agreement overnight by shelling of government-held residential areas in Aleppo.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Thursday his country would not accept less than an outright victory against rebels in Aleppo and across Syria.