An aid convoy in Syria trying to reach a besieged rebel district of the city of Homs came under fire on Saturday, threatening a humanitarian operation to deliver medicine and food.
The Syrian Red Crescent said mortar fire landed close to its convoy and shots were fired at its trucks, wounding one driver. Syrian state television had said four Red Crescent workers were wounded.
Syrian government troops and rebels have each blamed the other of staging the attack, as well as mortar fire earlier which delayed the start of the operation.
The joint aid team of United Nations and Syrian Red Crescent workers later left the Old City district safely, the Red Crescent said.
The official Syrian Arab News Agency released images of UN and Syrian Red Crescent vechicles in Homs. Photo: AFP / SANA
The city's governor Talal al-Barazi told state media mortar fire heard early on Saturday was caused by armed terrorist groups. The anti-government Syrian Observatory for Human Rights blamed President Bashar al-Assad's forces.
On Friday, the first day of an agreed three-day ceasefire, more than 80 children, women and elderly people were evacuated.
Many looked frail and described extreme hardships inside the area, which has been under army siege for nearly a year-and-a-half.
They said bread had not been available for months, and many residents were gathering weeds and leaves to eat.
Elderly people, women and children were evacuated on the first day of a ceasefire. Photo: AFP
Bombardments have reduced many neighbourhoods to ruins. Photo: AFP
Relief officials had earlier warned that this second phase of the humanitarian operation, to allow aid into the embattled quarter, was particularly delicate, not least because the government side has always been reluctant to see supplies going in to rebel-held areas, the BBC reports.