More civilians evacuated from Syria's Homs

The evacuation of more civilians from Syria's Homs has been halted because of "obstruction by armed men who opened fire at the crossing", the regime says.

Nearly a dozen civilians were evacuated from besieged parts of the Syrian city of Homs, before the operation was halted when shots were fired.

"The operation allowed the evacuation of 11 civilians from Bustan al-Diwan and Al-Hamidiya," Governor Talal Barazi said, but it was halted because of "obstruction by armed men who opened fire at the crossing".

Barazi did not identify the gunmen, but "armed men" is a common regime term for rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

He added that the evacuation had not been coordinated with the UN but with "elders and clerics".

Barazi earlier told state TV that most of those evacuated were women, children and the elderly.

The UN and Syria's Red Crescent began operations to evacuate trapped civilians and deliver aid inside besieged parts of Homs on February 7.

The operation has allowed out about 1400 of the estimated 3000 people trapped in Homs for more than 18 months by a government siege that forced residents to survive on little more than olives and wild plants.

The work was made possible by a ceasefire that was extended twice, but expired on Saturday night.

Barazi had said on Sunday that "armed groups" prevented the operation from resuming. It was not possible to confirm the claim.

Aid convoys came under fire during the chaotic UN and Red Crescent evacuation process, and shelling killed more than a dozen people despite the nominal truce.

Following their evacuation, about 400 men and boys aged 15-55 were detained by authorities for investigation, raising concern among UN and Red Cross officials.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 11 regime forces were killed when rebels detonated explosives under a building in the Old City of Aleppo.