DHAKA: The second round of Syria peace talks has got off to a stormy start against a backdrop of continued rescue of civilians from the beseiged city of Homs.

Members of Syria`s government and opposition delegations blamed each other in Geneva on Monday for mortar attacks on convoys bringing aid to Homs.

Reporting from the Swiss city, James Bays, Al Jazeera`s diplomatic editor, said the atmosphere at the peace talks was "the worst it has been at any point during this process".

The humanitarian exit operation is part of a deal brokered by the UN between President Bashar al-Assad`s government and the Syrian opposition after months of negotiations.

But a ceasefire underpinning the effort proved fragile, with the first aid convoy coming under attack on Saturday and mortar rounds hitting a rebel-held district on Sunday, killing five people.

Activists have blamed pro-regime factions in neighbourhoods bordering the rebel-held districts for the attacks, while Syrian state television said "armed terrorist groups" had fired during the UN operation.

The UN, for its part, said the three-day evacuation mission would be extended until Wednesday night.

The announcement was welcomed by Valerie Amos, the UN humanitarian chief.

"I hope this will allow us to evacuate yet more civilians and deliver much needed additional supplies," she said in a statement which reported that more than 800 people have been helped out of Homs since late on Friday.

"The protection of civilians caught up in this horrendous conflict in Syria is the greatest priority for UN agencies and humanitarian partners."

The civilians who left were among an estimated 3,000 people trapped since June 2012 in parts of the Old City held by rebels and under attack by Assad`s forces.

The Syrian army has staged huge offensives, with near-daily bombardments killing thousands.

Source: Al-Jazeera
BDST: 0945 HRS, FEB 11, 2014