BEIRUT –  A Syrian rebel group says a rare cease-fire negotiated with Hezbollah fighters in a Syrian town and two villages is now over.

The 72-hour cease-fire in the northern rebel-held town of Zabadani, near the border with Lebanon, as well as in Foua and Kfarya, two Shiite villages in Idlib province, was reached earlier this week and was to last until Sunday.

But Ahrar al-Sham, the main rebel group involved in the negotiations, announced Saturday the negotiations have collapsed.

The talks were focused on securing safe passage for Ahrar al-Sham and civilians out of Zabadani in exchange for allowing humanitarian aid to the besieged villages.

Activists say the cease-fire was brokered with the help of Turkish and Iranian mediation.