Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday, November 1 a Western failure to rein in violent Islamists in Syria had indefinitely delayed the resumption of peace talks, Reuters reports.

In remarks broadcast on Russian television, Shoigu said that rebels backed by Western governments had been attacking civilians in the Syrian city of Aleppo, despite a pause in Russian air attacks.

"As a result, the prospects for the start of a negotiation process and the return to peaceful life in Syria are postponed for an indefinite period," Shoigu said.