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Syria crisis: Rebels 'kill 20 soldiers' in Latakia Syria 'truce agreed' to evacuate Homs civilians
(about 7 hours later)
Syrian activists say at least 20 soldiers have been killed in fierce clashes with rebels in the north-western province of Latakia. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says the Syrian government and rebel fighters have agreed a temporary truce to allow civilians to be evacuated from the city of Homs.
The ICRC said that its teams - with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent - were ready to enter the worst-hit parts of Homs.
However despite the agreement, aid workers have still be unable to enter.
Elsewhere in Syria, activists say that at least 20 soldiers were killed by rebels in the province of Latakia.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fighting took place in a region known as Jabal al-Akrad near the Turkish border.The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fighting took place in a region known as Jabal al-Akrad near the Turkish border.
The report cannot be independently verified. Rebels blamed
Latakia has seen an upsurge in fighting and UN observers say they have been denied access to some areas. Homs has been at the centre of the 15-month revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.
The UN observer mission last week suspended its operations amid worsening violence. Beatrice Megevand-Roggo, the ICRC's regional head of operations, said fighting had been raging for more than 10 days in parts of the city.
'Purged of terrorists' "Hundreds of civilians are stuck in the old city, unable to leave and find refuge in safer areas," she said.
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP news agency that most of the soldiers had died in direct fighting with rebel forces in Jabal al-Akrad, which means Kurdish Mountain. The ICRC said it had received promises from both sides that they would allow a two-hour pause in the fighting. The ICRC says it is essential it be given immediate access.
"Other soldiers were killed in a rebel attack on two buildings which the army was using to launch mortar attacks against the Kurdish Mountain," he said. But although aid workers stood ready on Wednesday, they were not able to enter the city. It was not clear whether the heavy shelling and gunfire had stopped.
He said that dozens of soldiers had been wounded and others - including an officer - captured. Heavy shelling by government forces in residential areas has killed hundreds of civilians and brought international condemnation.
Another activist group, the Local Co-ordination Committees (LCC), reported intensified artillery and mortar fire aimed at villages in Jabal al-Akrad, and at the towns of Abo Risha and Tardeen in Latakia. The Syrian government blames the deaths on "terrorists" backed by foreign powers.
The Observatory said that, in total, 28 soldiers and a Shia Muslim cleric were among 39 people killed in violence across Syria on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the government said it was trying to evacuate civilians and blamed rebel fighters for obstructing its efforts.
It said five government soldiers died in a car bomb attack at a checkpoint in the north-west province of Idlib. UN mission 'staying'
Clashes in the town of Kernaz, in central Hama province, left three soldiers dead, it said. Earlier on Wednesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least 20 soldiers were killed in an overnight attack by rebels on an army barracks in Latakia.
The Observatory also said that "unidentified gunmen" had killed a Shia cleric in an area of south Damascus that is home to a revered shrine. It said that dozens of soldiers had been wounded and others - including an officer - captured.
The group added that 58 people had been killed in violence across the country on Wednesday.
Neither the reports of attacks nor the casualty figures can be independently verified.
Latakia has recently seen some of the worst of the fighting.
Last week, the Syrian government said it had taken control of the western mountain town of Haffa, in Latakia, after fierce fighting with rebels.Last week, the Syrian government said it had taken control of the western mountain town of Haffa, in Latakia, after fierce fighting with rebels.
It said Haffa had been "purged of terrorists" and calm restored.It said Haffa had been "purged of terrorists" and calm restored.
UN monitors were fired on and turned away by angry residents as they tried to enter the town amid fears of a massacre. They were able to return on Friday.UN monitors were fired on and turned away by angry residents as they tried to enter the town amid fears of a massacre. They were able to return on Friday.
Evacuation The UN observer mission has now suspended its operations in Syria amid the worsening violence.
Following the suspension of the UN observer mission, its leader, Maj Gen Robert Mood, told the UN Security Council that observers were targeted by hostile crowds and gunfire on at least 10 occasions, diplomats said. Its leader, Maj Gen Robert Mood, told the UN Security Council that observers were targeted by hostile crowds and gunfire on at least 10 occasions, diplomats said.
But he said his decision to suspend operations did not mean the mission was leaving Syria or abandoning the Syrian people.But he said his decision to suspend operations did not mean the mission was leaving Syria or abandoning the Syrian people.
The UN mission has been observing the implementation of a peace plan brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.The UN mission has been observing the implementation of a peace plan brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.
However, a ceasefire that was supposed to have come into effect in April never took hold.However, a ceasefire that was supposed to have come into effect in April never took hold.
The Syrian government said on Tuesday it was willing to evacuate hundreds of civilians trapped by fighting in the central city of Homs, where it said "armed terrorist groups are present".
Gen Mood earlier admitted that "attempts to extract civilians" from Homs over the past week had been unsuccessful and urged warring parties to let them leave.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the violence have been continuing.Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the violence have been continuing.
At the G20 summit in Mexico on Tuesday, US President Barack Obama held separate talks with the leaders of Russia and China - both of which have blocked UN resolutions over Syria.At the G20 summit in Mexico on Tuesday, US President Barack Obama held separate talks with the leaders of Russia and China - both of which have blocked UN resolutions over Syria.
He said later that the talks had failed to achieve a breakthrough.He said later that the talks had failed to achieve a breakthrough.