Kerry raises possibility of US approving strikes by Assad

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry is raising the possibility of the U.S. and Russia approving airstrikes by Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government as part of a new cease-fire agreement.

Kerry says Syria’s government is not supposed to bomb the opposition under the truce that went into effect Monday.

But Kerry says Assad will be able to go after the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in certain areas.

After seven days of calm, the U.S. and Russia would then cooperate on how to combat Nusra.

But Kerry said Monday that Assad would still be allowed to target Nusra after that point if strikes “are agreed upon with Russia and the United States.”

The U.S. had not previously spoken about approving Syrian government attacks.