(CNN) -- Syria's nearly 3-year-old civil war saw more bloodshed Thursday, and perhaps a moment of peace. Fighting at a huge prison in the volatile city of Aleppo brought conflicting rebel claims on whether they controlled all or part of the facility. Meanwhile, the United Nations and the United States confirmed an agreement announced by rebels and the government of a planned cease-fire in the besieged Old City of Homs that would allow some people to flee and humanitarian aid to arrive for the first time in over a year. "We welcome the news that a deal has been reached," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said of what she called "a local humanitarian pause" to begin Friday.
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NEW: Women, children, elderly to get a chance to leave Homs, with aid to arrive
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It is unclear whether rebels have full or partial control of a prison in Aleppo
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Around 3,000 people have been detained at the prison, many of them women
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The Syrian conflict is nearly 3 years old
Asked about concerns that the Syrian regime might be preparing for a final assault on those who remain in Homs once the other civilians depart, Psaki refused to speculate but said it was important for the U.N. convoys to get access to the @placeholder.