The Syrian troops repelled Thursday rebels attack against the central prison of the country s northern province of Aleppo, the official SANA news agency reported.

The army killed a large number of attackers and destroyed their weapons and ammunition, SANA said, spelling no further details.

Meanwhile, Syrian military sources were cited by Russia Today TV as saying that the Syrian troops killed some leaders of the al- Qaida-linked Nusra Front when the group attacked the prison.

The report said a suicide car bomber detonated his explosive-laden car at the prisons gate on Thursday morning, adding that the Syrian troops managed to ward the attackers off.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad stressed that the government troops succeeded in protecting the prison and repelling the attack, pointing out that the attackers were equipped with different kinds of weapons.

The report came after activist reports claimed that the rebels managed to enter parts of the prison and freed some detainees.

The rebels have for long been trying to storm the prison to free their fellow fighters. 

Meanwhile The United Nations on Thursday welcomed reports that a "humanitarian pause" has been agreed by Syrian parties to allow civilians out of and aid into the besieged city of Homs, a UN spokesman told reporters in the UN Headquarters in New York, US.

"The United Nations and humanitarian partners had pre-positioned food, medical and other basic supplies on the outskirts of Homs ready for immediate delivery as soon as the green light was given by the parties for safe passage," said a statement read by UN Acting Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq.

"Aid staff are also on standby," Haq added.

He noted that Valerie Amos, the UN relief chief, also welcomed the news of the humanitarian pause agreed in Homs, "which will allow civilians to leave and the delivery of essential, life- saving supplies for about 2,500 people."

Amos, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, will continue to follow developments closely, said Haq.

The spokesman also quoted Amos as saying "we need to see unhindered, continuous and safe access for humanitarian workers to deliver aid to the millions of people trapped in all the hard to reach or besieged areas across Syria."

According to media reports, the Syrian government has agreed with rebels to let humanitarian aid into the rebel-held old Homs city in central Syria.

Evacuating women and children from the rebel-held Homs old quarter was discussed between the delegations of the opposition Syrian National Coalition and the Syrian government during the Geneva II conference.

About 3,000 civilians and 4,000 rebels were trapped in the old quarter of Homs as the Syrian regular troops imposed a 20-month siege on that rebel-held area. 

Source: ANTARA