Evacuation of civilians from Homs continues amid raging fighting

Governor of Homs Talal Al-Barazi said a total of 460 civilians, mainly women, children and elderly people, have been evacuated from the old city of Homs on Monday. The figure took to 1,154 the total number of evacuees since Friday under a deal between the government and the UN to alleviate the siege laid by the Syrian army on the city 600 days ago; the three-day humanitarian deal has been extended for further three days as of today. Meanwhile, the government troops continued the air attacks and artillery bombardment on several areas across the country, particularly the outskirts of Damascus, and southern Daraa city and the central city of Aleppo. The bombardment claimed 60 civilian lives today, including 18 in Damascus and on its outskirts, 13 in Tasil neighborhood in Daraa, 15 in Aleppo, eight in Idlib, four in Homs and one in each of Al-Qunaitera and Deir Az-Zur. The victims include three children and a woman, according to a statement by the Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC). In a related development the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that fierce fighting raged between the Nusra Front and other Islamist rebel factions, on one hand, and the regular troops and loyalist militias, on the other, in Morek city, to the north of the central governorate of Hama. The rebel fighters made remarkable advances against the regular battalion stationed to the north of the city, destroyed a tank, and killed and wounded several soldiers. The regime sent a backup to its troops and launched an air attack on the rebel fighters on the road between Morek and Maan.