UN begins evacuation as Syrian peace talks fray

The UN began evacuating hundreds of people from besieged Syrian towns in a rare sign of humanitarian progress, as the US Air Force for the first time deployed a B-52 bomber against the Islamic State group.

In Geneva, where UN-brokered peace talks have faltered as a fragile cease-fire has come under strain, the Syrian government meanwhile said it was pushing on with indirect negotiations, calling the opposition's freeze on taking part "absurd theater".

The anti-government High Negotiations Committee this week suspended its participation in the talks until it could see progress on political transition and humanitarian issues.