Syrian opposition activists and rebels said they found dozens of bodies of military-age men along a river in the northern city of Aleppo.  The area where the bodies were found lies along the division between the city’s eastern section, which is controlled by the rebels, and the western half, which remains largely under the regime's authority and is dominated by loyalist residents.   Some sources say the men were killed by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, which they proved with graphic video images.  Others insist it could have been rebel forces as well, underscoring the uncertainty in the region.

This month, the U.N. said that the overall toll from the Syrian conflict surpassed 60,000. The U.N. Refugee Agency said Tuesday that more than 712,000 Syrian refugees in neighboring countries are now registered or awaiting processing—a 200,000 increase from mid-December. Roughly 10 percent of the population has become internally displaced, in addition to the nearly 4 million Syrians, half of them children, who are in need of assistance.