A week-old ceasefire agreement in northwest Syria appeared to hold on Sunday after it was violated for the first time overnight, Reuters said.
An online statement attributed to Jaish al-Fatah (Army of Conquest) said rebels shelled the Shiite village of Fuaa in retaliation for regime attacks on areas near and in the city of Homs. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also confirmed the shelling by rebels.
The alliance of Islamist rebels blamed government forces for violating the ceasefire.
At least 17 people, mostly children, were killed in Syrian army missile attack on the embattled neighborhood of Waer in the city of Homs, a monitoring group said Saturday.
Under the Iranian/Turkish-backed ceasefire, warring sides have agreed to cease hostilities in at least two villages in the northwestern province of Idleb, as well as a town near the Lebanese border for up to six months.
During that time, insurgent fighters are to withdraw from the border town of Zabadani, where they are surrounded by pro-government forces. In return, civilians would be evacuated from the Shiite villages of Fuaa and Kefraya in Idleb, which are under rebel siege.
