Fighting between government and rebel forces has been reported in parts of Syria despite a nationwide truce coming into force overnight.

Axar.az reports that, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, said there had been fierce clashes and air strikes in northern Hama province.

There was also fighting in Wadi Barada, a key valley near Damascus, it added.

There has so far been no comment from Turkey and Russia, which brokered the truce in a bid to restart peace talks.

Several armed groups, including so-called Islamic State (IS) and the Kurdish YPG militia, are excluded from the initiative.