A CEASEFIRE in Syria’s third city Homs held this weekend despite delays to the agreed evacuation of fighters from rebel-held areas.

Rebels agreed on Friday to surrender the territory in exchange for safe passage to other opposition-held zones.

The evacuation had been expected to begin on Saturday but government forces delayed its start.

Rebels said they believed the delays were over a plan to allow food and aid into blockaded areas.

A prisoner exchange deal between rebels and President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in central and northern Syria is another possible factor delaying the move.

President Assad’s forces have been taking back rebel-held areas throughout Syria with blockades, deals with rebels and relentless military assaults.

Government forces entered the rural town of Mleeha, one of the last rebel holdouts near the capital Damascus, on Saturday.