Ceasefire reached at three Syrian flash-points

A "permanent" ceasefire was reached on Sunday in Syria's Zabadani city, near the Lebanese border, and two Shia towns in northwestern Syria, a source said.

The ceasefire will go into effect at 12.00 p.m. (local time) in the northwestern Shia towns of Kafraya and Foa and rebel-held town of Zabadani, as well as adjacent town of Madaya, Xinhua news agency quoted Mohammad Abu Qassem, the head of Tadamun (Solidarity) Party as saying.

"It's not only a ceasefire, but a permanent solution and settlement to the situation in the Shia towns along with Zabadani and Madaya. It is an open-ended ceasefire and it's not temporary," he said.

Syria is reeling under a four-year-old internal strife marked by intense battles between government troops and an array of ultra-radical groups such as the Nursra Front and the IS.

Local ceasefires have been implemented intermittently in parts of Syria, often to bring in humanitarian aid to besieged populations.

At least 240,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011.