Syrian troops enter old Homs as deal stalls

Agreement was supposed to grant opposition fighters safe passage out of the city

By AP 9 May 2014, 2:37 pm

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Two Syrian national flags hang on a pole as government officials inspect damages in the city of Homs, Syria, on May 8, 2014. (photo credit: AP)

HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syrian government troops have entered the last rebel-held districts of the Old City of Homs for the first time as part of a deal that also has granted opposition fighters safe passage out of the city.

Homs Gov. Talal Barazi said that engineering units were combing the old neighborhoods of the city, including the former opposition stronghold of Hamidiyah, in search of mines and other explosive devices to dismantle.

Some 1,700 rebels have left Homs since Wednesday under the deal struck by the government and opposition.

However, the evacuation of the last batch of fighters was still up in the air Friday after opposition fighters in northern Syrian prevented aid from reaching besieged pro-government villages.

The aid delivery to Nubul and Zahra was part of the Homs evacuation agreement.