Syrian government aircraft have dropped barrels laden with explosives on rebel areas of the
northern city of Aleppo, opposition activists say.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said 22 people were killed, 14
of them children.
There has been no word from the Syrian government.
Aleppo, Syria's second city, is divided between rebel and government-held districts and the
air force regularly targets rebel areas.
Large parts of the city, a commercial hub, have been destroyed since a rebel offensive last
year.
Reports suggest a school was hit in the latest attack.
The districts of Sakhur, Ard al-Hamr and Haydariyeh were hit, according to the SOHR.
Reports say the bombs struck three districts and a school was hit
The activist-run Aleppo Media Centre also reported several helicopter attacks in the city,
according to the AFP news agency.
Reports of the latest violence in Aleppo came a day after French Foreign Minister Laurent
Fabius said he was pessimistic about the prospects for peace talks planned for next month in
Switzerland.
Mr Fabius said France was trying to make the talks a success, but that there was "a great deal
of doubt".
The moderate anti-government groups which France has been working with were "in serious
difficulty", he said.
The US, UN and Russia have been struggling for months to get the talks, known as Geneva II,
off the ground.
The negotiations will aim to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, end the fighting and
outline a political transition for Syria.
President Bashar al-Assad's government has said it will attend in principle, but will accept no
preconditions and refuses to negotiate with "terrorists", its term for almost all its political and
military opponents.
The opposition has said any political solution to the crisis must include the removal of Mr
Assad.
It remains unclear who will take part in the conference in the Swiss town of Montreux on 22
January, with reports emerging last week that representatives of more than 30 countries
wanted to attend.
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