At least 28 rebels have been killed by Syrian regime troops. The rebels tried to make their way into the village of Kafr Nan in central Homs province before being repulsed by the troops, a watchdog revealed on Sunday.

In a statement made by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the number of rebels killed on Saturday in an ambush and clashes with regime forces on the outskirts of Kafr Nan rose to 28.

The attacked village is a loyal stronghold to President Bashar al-Assad and comprises mainly of members of the Alawite community, which is the offshoot branch of Shiite Islam to which the president belongs.

The rebels have control of Rastan and much of Houla, which are towns located on either side of Kafr Nan. According to Rami Abdel Rahman, the Observatory director, the rebels launched an attack on Saturday.

Also attacked by the rebels was a regime checkpoint located outside the town of Talbisseh, north of Homs province. At least six regime forces were killed, according to the Observatory, but the rebels were not able to seize control of the checkpoint.

“The rebel fighters appear to be “opening these battlefronts in northern Homs to relieve pressure of the town of Quayr,”” said Abdel Rahman.

Sunday marked a continued battle for the rebel stronghold that is near the border with Lebanon in southern Homs. A report by the Observatory noted a continued flow of reinforcements to the regime lines.

Believed to be trapped within the city with no means of escape are thousands of civilians, raising concerns among Aids groups. Also trapped within the embattled town are approximately 1,500 wounded people.

Due to the town’s proximity to the route between Damascus, the coast and the Lebanese border, the entrapment is viewed as a strategic prize.