Syrian barrel bombs kill 47 in attack on Aleppo square

Beirut: Observers say Syrian army helicopters have dropped two barrel bombs on a crowded square in the northern city of Aleppo, killing 47 civilians as they sat on a bus and collected water.

Last night's attack by government forces on the rebel-held city came hours after rebels bombarded the capital, Damascus, killing nine.

An Aleppo-based activist, Ahmad al-Ahmad, says one barrel bomb exploded beside a crowded bus, the second near a line of people waiting in line to fill their canteens from a public water tanker.

He said today that 27 died on or near the bus, 10 more in the water line, and 10 others as ambulances ferried scores of wounded to hospital.

Other activists reported that Syrian airstrikes on rebel-held suburbs of Damascus claimed more than 80 lives yesterday.