Red Cross makes another attempt to evacuate trapped Homs civilians

The Red Cross has made a further attempt to bring out people trapped in the besieged Syrian city of Homs, after a first successful rescue of civilians earlier.

The humanitarian effort came after Arab and Western states urged Damascus to "immediately cease all violence" and allow access, more than three weeks into a deadly assault on rebels in Syria's third largest city.

But government forces resumed their shelling of Homs' Baba Amr district this afternoon, and have attacked elsewhere, killing at least 16 civilians across the country.

In Homs, the International Committee of the Red Cross is negotiating with the authorities to resume evacuations from the hard hit area of Baba Amr.