The Syrian government and rebels have agreed to a temporary truce in Homs in order to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to evacuate civilians from the beleaguered central city.

Our first priority, together with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, is to evacuate the wounded and the sick to safer areas, where they can be treated, Beatrice Megevand-Roggo, ICRC's head of operations for the Near and Middle East, told the AFP.

We also want to evacuate civilians who have been unable to flee the conflict area, and bring in much-needed aid and medical supplies to the local Syrian Arab Red Crescent branch.

Despite the agreement, aid workers have yet to enter the embattled city, which President Bashar al-Assad's troops have been shelling for 10 days. The Red Cross believes people are trapped in Homs' old city and are unable to leave and find refuge in safer areas. An armed opposition has been fighting back against the government forces.