(Zaman Al Wasl)- Russia has reached a ceasefire deal with Syrian rebels in the northern countryside of Homs after almost three weeks of major campaign by regime forces and allied militias, local activists said Monday.
The deal came after the regime army began an intense bombardment as Bashar al-Assad pushed to recapture all the remaining areas his forces have besieged.
Reconciliation suspended between the Russian army and the negation committee in Northern Homs and southern Hama last week.
Syrian rebels killed at least 150 militants loyal to Bashar al-Assad in Homs and Hama, since the offensive began two weeks ago
The regime army's assault on the pocket between Homs and Hama - the most populous remaining besieged area in Syria - included both air strikes and artillery, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the war monitor.
Reinforcements had arrived in regime-held areas before the bombardment, which targeted Rastan, the biggest town in the pocket, and several nearby villages, the Observatory said.
Local activists reported that regime had closed Bab al-Kabira crossing, the main gate into northern Homs.
On Sunday, the regime and Russia have stepped up its aerial campaign on Homs after the fail of 'reconciliation' talks.
The missile assault hit the towns of al-Za'faraneh, al-Sa'en and al-Majdal, leaving dozen of people killed and wounded.
Zaman al-Wasl reporter says the only hospital of al-Zaefaraneh is out of service due to vacuum missile attack.
Syrian rebels hold large swathes of both northwest and southwest Syria. An alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias backed by the United States holds large parts of northern and eastern Syria after an offensive against Daesh (ISIS) last year.
Zaman Al Wasl
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