input: Article: It would be the third such "de-escalation zone" put in place since July after talks between powers backing and opposing the Syrian government.
The others cover parts of south-western Syria and the outskirts of Damascus.
Syria's war has raged since 2011 but fighting has become more patchy amid a series of truce deals in recent months.
The conflict has left more 330,000 people dead and displaced millions more.
Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the latest ceasefire was agreed with the "moderate Syrian opposition" and covered an area encompassing more than 147,000 people.
He said Russia would set up two checkpoints and three observation posts along the truce lines on Friday.
Last week Russia, a key Syrian ally, deployed military police to monitor a "de-escalation zone" in Eastern Ghouta - an agricultural belt near the capital - and in the south-west.
However, it is unclear exactly where the ceasefire boundaries lie, and the extent of violations, though there has been an easing in the intensity of violence.
Plans for four such zones were announced by Russia, Turkey - which supports the rebels - and Syria's other main ally, Iran, at talks in Astana in May.
Rebel groups have not publicly signed up to the Astana agreement, which has the tacit support of the United States and the Syrian government.
The plan excludes militants of the so-called Islamic State (IS) and the jihadist group Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham.

Summarize.
output: A ceasefire between Syrian forces and rebels north of Homs has been agreed and will come into effect on Thursday, Russia's defence ministry says.
Article: The four were abducted at a checkpoint near the city of Sirte, where they were teaching at a university.
The Islamic State (IS) group has a strong presence in Sirte, hometown of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Libya has descended into chaos since Gaddafi's death in October 2011, with various militias fighting for power.
The teachers, from the southern Indian states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, were working with the University of Sirte.
They were kidnapped on their way back to India on Wednesday.
"They were returning to India via Tripoli and Tunis, when they were detained at a checkpoint approximately 50km (31 miles) from Sirte," an Indian foreign ministry spokesperson said.
It is still not clear who kidnapped the teachers, but the spokesperson said the Indians "have been brought back to the city of Sirte".
On Friday afternoon, a tweet by India's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, said the government was "able to secure the release" of two of them - named as Lakshmikant and Vijay Kumar.
"Trying for other two," the tweet said.
Most of Sirte fell to IS in May. Last July, a group of 65 Indian nurses were trapped in fighting in Libya.
The nurses, who had been working in hospitals in the country, safely returned to India in August.
In June 2014, 40 Indians - all construction workers - were kidnapped in the violence-hit Iraqi city of Mosul. Their fate is still not known.
++++++++++
Summarize: Four Indian teachers have been kidnapped in Libya, India's foreign ministry has reported, adding later it had secured the release of two of them.
Question:
Article:Crawford, who has scored six goals this season, is once again proving to be a key player for Accies.
But Canning believes it may take a move away from the Lanarkshire club for the 25-year-old to be recognised eventually at international level.
"I think it happened with James McArthur," said Canning.
"He was obviously performing well for us, but he then moved to Wigan and the next week he was in the Scotland squad. It does happen but then again that's part of football. We are a small club but we try and do things right."
McArthur has accumulated 24 caps for his country since leaving Accies and Canning feels Crawford has the ability to follow that example.
"I think he should be aiming as high as he can," said the manager.
"We talk about him every transfer window - 'Is Ali going to go or is he going to stay?' - and he's still here.
"It speaks a lot for him and his attitude because he just keeps his head down, keeps himself to himself, continually works hard and every season produces for us.
"If he can continue to score goals again this season then we'll see what happens in January or at the end of the season.
"As a club we take pride in good young players coming through that move on and go and earn good money and have a good life for themselves, but we don't push them out the door.
"We're fortunate to have him just now. He's doing well for us and hopefully one day he'll get an opportunity to play for Scotland and move on to the Premier League or Championship down south and earn life-changing money."
Crawford is not the only player at Accies that the manager says deserves international recognition.
Midfielder Greg Docherty and striker Eamonn Brophy are two others he feels should be involved at Under-21 level under new boss Scot Gemmill.
"I tried to phone Scott Gemmill with regards young Greg Docherty and Eamonn Brophy. They don't get a look-in for the Under-21s and Greg's played 50 games in the Premiership," continued Canning.
"We talked the last time about Chris Cadden at Motherwell being left out the squad.
"There was a big uproar over Cadden, but nobody even mentioned Greg Docherty's name.
"He's played 50 games in the Premiership and he's 19. Eamonn Brophy is the same, he's played maybe 25 games and more than that when you consider the Championship as well.
"They just have to keep working hard and hope the boys get those opportunities."

Summarize the main points of that article.
Answer:

Hamilton Accies manager Martin Canning is backing star midfielder Ali Crawford to one day receive a call-up to the Scotland national squad.