Syria moves to evacuate civilians from old quarters of Homs

New steps have been achieved to evacuate trapped civilians from the besieged old Homs city in central Syria, the governor of Homs Talal Barazi was quoted as saying by SANA news agency on Friday. The governor said new steps have been achieved in cooperation with the UN to evacuate the civilians from the rebel-held old quarter of Homs city, adding that "we are optimist about evacuating civilians soon." The governor told Xinhua that the Syrian authorities were prepared to evacuate trapped civilians in Homs' old quarters, denying aid convoys are to enter the area. He said the authorities were waiting for a response from the rebel groups inside the besieged area through a UN resident coordinator Yacoub al Helou, who was shuttling between the two sides to secure the evacuation. The governor stressed the government would by no means agree to deliver aid for fear of it ending up in the hands of rebels, noting the rebels could take advantage of a recent pardon and surrender themselves. The oppositional Syrian National Coalition (SNC), the main opposition umbrella in exile, demanded the government break the siege of the Syrian army in the old city of Homs and allow in aid for the trapped people. Damascus said civilians were free to leave, pledging to secure them with shelters and medical help, but rejecting aid as it could end up in the hands of rebels. Activists said about 3,000 civilians and 4,000 rebels are trapped in the old quarters of Homs which the Syrian troops have besieged for 20-months.