An activist group of the Syrian war said Thursday negotiations had failed to produce a ceasefire between government forces and rebels in the Eastern Ghouta area near Damascus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the reasons for the failure of the talks were unknown. The talks had been going on for a number of days and were mediated by "an international party", it said. The Observatory had reported Wednesday a 15-day ceasefire in the Eastern Ghouta was due to be announced soon.