Red Cross to try Homs evacuation again

Red Cross and Red Crescent workers will make a second attempt to enter Syria's old city of Homs and evacuate civilians after shooting scuppered an initial effort.

"An ICRC and Syrian Arab Red Crescent team tried this morning to enter the old city of Homs to evacuate the wounded, sick and others," International Committee of the Red Cross spokesman Hicham Hassan said.

"Unfortunately the team had to turn and come back due to shooting," he said.

"We are going to try to enter the old city once again this afternoon."

The humanitarian agency said on Wednesday that both the Syrian government and opposition groups had agreed to respect its request for a pause in the fighting to allow relief workers to access the needy.

The ICRC said it wants to bring in vital aid and medical supplies to the local Red Crescent branch.

Troops loyal to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad have been bombarding parts of the central Syrian city for days with a view to retaking the rebel stronghold.

Hundreds of people are believed to be trapped in the old city and are unable to flee or find shelter because of the fighting, the Geneva-based agency said.

In Syria, Red Crescent operations chief Khaled Erksoussi said that negotiations were still underway with the parties concerned.

"The teams on site are awaiting the green light to evacuate civilians from the parties who control the dangerous neighbourhood," he said.

"We hope to reach a positive outcome soon."

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