Pope Francis will visit Lebanon in June, the president’s office said Tuesday, in an apparent show of support for the country experiencing an unprecedented economic meltdown.

At least 50 people were killed and 2,700 injured. Catholic and other humanitarian agencies warn it could push the country into an even bigger catastrophe.

The truce does not include the Islamic State group or al-Qaida's branch in Syria. Several previous ceasefires all collapsed, some of them in a matter of days.

The move raises questions whether the evacuation will be over before the observers arrive.

The U.N. human rights office in Geneva said that multiple sources reported that tens of civilians were shot dead on Monday.

The second attempt at peace this year is holding, despite fighting in Israel.

His life and death underscored the suffering of Aleppans, whose city was once the commercial center of Syria with a thriving, unique culture but has now been torn to pieces by fighting.

The cease-fire aims to bring representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition back to the negotiating table in Geneva for talks on a political transition.

Turkey hopes for the involvement of the U.S. and other allies against IS.

The meetings are part of a process outlined in a U.N. resolution last month that envisages an 18-month timetable for a political transition in Syria, including the drafting of a new constitution and elections. The opposition boycott is a blow to the U.N.'s attempt to bring representatives of President Bashar Assad's government and his opponents together for the first time in two years.