A week-old ceasefire agreement in northwest Syria appeared to hold Sunday after it was violated for the first time overnight, Reuters said.
An online statement attributed to Fateh Army, or the Army of Conquest, said rebels shelled Shiite village al-Foua in retaliation for government attacks on areas nearby and in the city of Homs farther south.
At least 17 people, most of them children, have killed in army missile attack on a public park in the besieged neighborhood of Al Waer in Homs where tens of children were celebrating the third day of Eid al-Adha, Muslims' holy sacrifice feast, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday.
The alliance of Islamist rebels blamed government forces for violation of the ceasefire.
Under the Iranian- and Turkish-backed ceasefire, warring sides have agreed to cease hostilities in at least two villages in northwestern province Idlib, and a town near the Lebanese border for up to six months.
During that time, insurgent fighters are to withdraw from the border town of Zabadani, where they are surrounded by pro-government forces. In return, civilians would be evacuated from the Shiite villages of al-Foua and Kefraya in Idlib which are under rebel siege.
Rebels shelled al-Foua overnight, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Syria's conflict began in March 2011 as popular protests against four decades of Assad family rule but changed into armed insurgency under a security force crackdown.
More than 250,000 Syrian people killed and over 12 million forced to flee their homes.
Zaman Al Wasl
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