02/05/2014 18:10
Syria truce 'to let rebels withdraw from besieged Homs'
Opposition fighters are to be allowed to withdraw from besieged parts of the Syrian city of Homs under a deal with the government, the BBC reported.
Rebels will be allowed to pull back to opposition-held areas north of Homs, activists say. The Syrian government has not commented on the reports.
Fighters have held areas around the Old City despite a two-year siege. Earlier this year civilians were let out.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based activist group, said about 1,000 fighters were expected to pull out from rebel-held areas of Homs under the terms of a ceasefire.
The city has seen some of the worst fighting in the three years of the Syrian conflict.
The SOHR said rebels will be allowed to withdraw to the north of the province, while the army will take control of areas of the Old City which they have vacated.
"The withdrawal has not begun yet and under the agreement those leaving will be able to keep their weapons," Homs activist Thaer al-Khalidiyeh told AFP news agency.