UN and Syrian officials sign an agreement in Damascus that defines the terms of a ceasefire monitoring mission.<br/> <br />The Syrian government and the UN had agreed a basis for a "protocol" on the deployment of more observers.<br/> <br />A small advance team of peacekeepers have already arrived in the country earlier this week to monitor a ceasefire between government troops and opposition forces that began last Thursday.<br/> <br />The head of the team says they will stay in the country until their mission is complete.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. COLONEL AHMAD HIMMICH, CHIEF OF THE INITIAL U.N. TEAM, SAYING:<br/> <br />"We'll stay as long as we have to perform our tasks which has been mandated to us."<br/> <br />While there are reports that the truce has held in some parts, the army has sustained a deadly assault on Homs, Hama, Idlib and Deraa, as well as other cities.<br/> <br />Amateur video posted to the internet on Thursday appeared to show heavy shell and mortar attacks in Homs.<br/> <br />The United Nations has said it wants to deploy up to 300 monitors to Syria, considering President Bashar al-Assad has not fully withdrawn troops and heavy weapons from towns,<br/> <br />and has failed to send a "clear signal" about his commitment to peace.<br/> <br />More than 10,000 people have been killed in 13 months of violence.<br/> <br />Simon Hanna, Reuters
