Russia announces truce in another Syrian 'safe zone'

Russia's Defence Ministry says that a cease-fire treaty has been agreed on in the northern parts of the Homs province in war- torn Syria.

The truce, which was set to go into effect at midday local time (1000 BST) on Thursday, will include 84 settlements populated by in excess of 147,000 according to Major General Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the ministry.

Truces had previously been struck in four other zones in the country and are holding despite Syrian opposition forces with US backing clashing with Islamic State militants in the north-eastern city of Raqqa.

Coming less than 24 hours after the Russian Foreign Ministry said it would continue its, "consistent and principled policy of uncompromising fight against terrorists in Syria" after its headquarters in Damascus was hit by several mortar shells, the zone is the third to be set up in Syria under the Russian-led initiative focused on quelling the flow of violence between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and rebels.

Two checkpoints and three observation posts will be established on Friday between the opposing forces to institute a "de-escalation zone."

The Homs province were some of the first to fall after a 2012 revolt against Assad's rule, but have managed to remain free of militant groups including IS.

After Russian, Turkish and Iranian representatives met in Kazakhstan earlier this year, one further safe zone has been proposed in the north-western Idlib region, but "conflicts of interest" between the powers has complicated the process.