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Syria Aid Convoy Comes Under Fire In Besieged City Of Homs (VIDEO)

Aid Convoy Comes Under Fire In Besieged Homs
Huffington Post UK
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An aid convoy ferrying humanitarian supplies to residents of the besieged city of Homs in Syria came under fire on Saturday, despite a three-day truce in the area.

UN and Syrian Red Cross workers were attacked by mortars and machine-gun fire from as-yet unidentified fighters.

Both the government and opposition accuse each other of being responsible.

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United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) workers stand near a rebel fighter in a street on February 8

Nine vehicles were trapped and one driver injured - five people including two rebel fighters are reported to have been killed in the attack.

The Syrian Red Cross said: "Although the team was shelled and fired upon, we managed to deliver 250 food parcels [and] 190 hygiene kits and chronic disease medicines."

The ceasefire was designed to bring aid to around 2,500 civilians who had chosen to stay in the old quarter of Homs.

Story continues after slideshow...

Syria
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Syrians, one on a wheelchair, gather with their belongings on the rebel controlled side of the Bustan al-Qasr checkpoint in the district of Aleppo on February 9, 2014 awaiting to cross to the government controlled side. Hundreds of people have died in Aleppo in several waves of barrel bomb assaults, each lasting several days, since December 15, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said while thousands of people have fled the areas being targeted. AFP PHOTO MOHAMMED WESAM (Photo credit should read MOHAMMED WESAM/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A young Syrian journalist carries a camera and a gun to protect himself, notably from kidnappings, on February 9, 2014 in a street in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. Hundreds of people have died in Aleppo in several waves of barrel bomb assaults, each lasting several days, since December 15, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said while thousands of people have fled the areas being targeted. AFP PHOTO / ALEPPO MEDIA CENTRE/ MOHAMMED WESAM (Photo credit should read MOHAMMED WESAM/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A rebel fighter, carrying a weapon, gestures to people standing near a fire reportedly caused by an aerial bombardment from explosives-packed barrel bombs in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on February 8, 2014. A new aerial bombardment in Aleppo killed at least 20 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. AFP PHOTO/ ALEPPO MEDIA CENTRE / Fadi al-Halabi (Photo credit should read Fadi al-Halabi/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Members of the jihadist group Al-Nusra Front fire homemade mortar rounds during fighting with goverment forces on February 8, 2014 in the Syrian village of Aziza, on the southern outskirts of Aleppo. New aerial bombardment from explosives-packed barrel bombs in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo killed at least 20 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. AFP PHOTO / BARAA AL-HALABI (Photo credit should read BARAA AL-HALABI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A rebel fighter, carrying a weapon, holds a child in a street of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on February 8, 2014. New aerial bombardment from explosives-packed barrel bombs in Aleppo killed at least 20 people on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. AFP PHOTO/ ALEPPO MEDIA CENTRE / ZEIN AL-RIFAI (Photo credit should read ZEIN AL-RIFAI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A rebel fighter (L) feeds pigeons in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on February 8, 2014. New aerial bombardment from explosives-packed barrel bombs in Aleppo killed at least 20 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. AFP PHOTO/ ALEPPO MEDIA CENTRE / ZEIN AL-RIFAI (Photo credit should read ZEIN AL-RIFAI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A boy carries two younger boys in a pushchair on February 8, 2014 in a street of the northeastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor. Al-Nusra Front and rebel brigades including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham launched a new offensive in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor against their erstwhile ally ISIL, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. AFP PHOTO / AHMAD ABOUD (Photo credit should read AHMAD ABOUD/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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An United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) worker (R) is welcomed by a rebel fighter on February 8, 2014 on the second day of a humanitarian mission in a besieged district of the central city of Homs. The Syrian Red Crescent delivered a first batch of much-needed aid to civilians trapped for nearly two years in rebel-held areas of Homs city, despite coming under fire from mortars. AFP PHOTO / BASSEL TAWIL (Photo credit should read BASSEL TAWIL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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An United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) worker (R) talks with rebel fighters on February 8, 2014 on the second day of a humanitarian mission in a besieged district of the central city of Homs. The Syrian Red Crescent delivered a first batch of much-needed aid to civilians trapped for nearly two years in rebel-held areas of Homs city, despite coming under fire from mortars. AFP PHOTO / BASSEL TAWIL (Photo credit should read BASSEL TAWIL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Syrians gather with their belongings in a street of a besieged district of the central city of Homs on February 8, 2014 as a United Nations and Syria's Red Crescent humanitarian convoy (unseen) delivers food and medical aid. Syria's Red Crescent said it delivered some food and medical aid to rebel-held areas of Homs city that have been under siege by government troops for more than 600 days. AFP PHOTO / BASSEL TAWIL (Photo credit should read BASSEL TAWIL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) workers stand near a rebel fighter in a street on February 8, 2014 on the second day of a humanitarian mission in a besieged district of the central city of Homs. The Syrian Red Crescent delivered a first batch of much-needed aid to civilians trapped for nearly two years in rebel-held areas of Homs city, despite coming under fire from mortars. AFP PHOTO / BASSEL TAWIL (Photo credit should read BASSEL TAWIL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

UN officials are to meet with members of the Syrian government to discuss whether it is safe to continue with mission.

So far it has had limited success with only 83 vulnerable people evacuated on Friday.

Much of the city is in ruins and reports of civilians eating weeds to survive are common - crude barrel bombs dropped by government helicopters have wreaked havoc.

The country's civil war has so far claimed around 130,000 lives and made millions homeless.

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