The Latest: France seeks immediate Syria task force meeting

BEIRUT – The Latest on the conflict in Syria as a fragile cease-fire enters its third day (all times local):

1 p.m.

The French foreign minister is calling for a meeting "without delay" of a task force to monitor a cessation of hostilities in Syria following reports of air strikes targeting the moderate opposition.

Jean-Marc Ayrault made the comments Monday shortly before addressing a meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

U.N. special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has already been planning a meeting of the task force, led by the United States and Russia, later in the day.

Ayrault told reporters he planned to discuss the "attacks including by air" with de Mistura and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Critics say Russia and Syrian forces have been targeting the moderate opposition.

The cessation of hostilities has largely held despite violations by both sides since it went into effect Friday at midnight.

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12:30 p.m.

Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group says it has recovered the body of a senior commander who was killed during fighting in Syria's northern province of Aleppo.

Hezbollah said Monday the body of Ali Fayyad, known locally as Haj Alaa, was recovered Sunday night in an operation in which Syrian army and Hezbollah special forces took part.

A Russia-U.S.-brokered cease-fire that went into effect on Saturday is largely holding despite violations by both sides.

Hezbollah has been fighting alongside government troops in Syria and the forces recently took from Islamic State militants the town of Khanaser and its surroundings in Aleppo.

Fayyad is a Hezbollah veteran who has led major battles against the Israeli army in south Lebanon. Lebanese media say he was among four Hezbollah fighters killed in Aleppo last week.