国际英语新闻:Syria gov't reach truce with rebels in Homs' al-Waer district: report

DAMASCUS, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian authorities and the rebels entrenched in a district in the central province of Homs concluded a long-awaited truce on Wednesday, the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported.

The truce in al-Waer neighborhood, the last rebel-held district inside the city of Homs, aims at achieving a reconciliation and paving the way for the departure of the armed elements from the neighborhood, according to the TV.

The truce deal is basically a cease-fire designed to hold for a few days until the negotiations kick off for further pacification in that area in the next few days.

Meanwhile, the Sham FM radio said vehicles carrying relief aid entered the besieged neighborhood Wednesday, adding that more aid convoys are expected to arrive at the neighborhood in the coming days.

The cease-fire in al-Waer came to cap previous efforts by the government to render the city of Homs free from rebels.

Last year, the government managed to achieve reconciliation with the rebels in the old quarter of Homs, allowing those who did not want to reconcile to head for other areas in the countryside of Homs after they besieged the old city for over two years.

Al-Waer remained the last rebel-stronghold inside the city, and the ongoing work to achieve reconciliation there have been dragging on since earlier last year.

Still, a number of areas in the countryside of Homs are still under the rebels' control, such as Talbiseh and al-Rastan.