Video shows rebels executing Assad supporters in Aleppo

Human rights groups denounced Syrian rebels after video appeared on the internet yesterday, showing the rebels executing Assad supporters in the beleaguered northern city of Aleppo.

The video shows apparent rebels leading some people recognized as pro-Assad forces, many of them looking bloodied and shocked, into a patio. The rebels then push the captives against a wall, step back and shoot them with their AK-47 guns, clearly firing tens of dozens of rounds in fury.

According to the opposition, those executed by the rebels were the Berri clan members who had closer links with the government. Reports suggest that the clan leader, Zeino Berri, who was accused by the rebels of killing civilians, was also killed in the event.

Meanwhile, rebel force leaders also condemned the execution and several other rebel groups openly denounced the event. Some analysts say that the targeted tribe has tens of thousands of supporters who can look for vengeance, increasing the aggression in Aleppo.

Human Rights observers and advocates have reported extrajudicial killings and other mistreatments by both sides.

After reports of execution of government supporters, Syrian President Bashar Assad on Wednesday urged his forces to stay watchful. He admired his military’s part in meeting head-on the criminal and radical groups, an indication to rebel fighters.

Meanwhile, the United Nations said on Wednesday that the pro-government forces had used jet firing, rockets and missiles against the rebels in Aleppo. The government also used helicopter gunships and armaments to strike rebel-held areas, the opposition forces alleged.

“Tens of thousands of Aleppo residents have fled the city, but aid groups say many people remain trapped. Thousands are said to be living in schools, mosques and parks and at other sites. Aid groups worry that a humanitarian disaster will arise if the combat and shelling spread to other districts of the sprawling city, long Syria's commercial hub,” the LA Times reported.

According to some U.S. authorities, they had increased their aid allotment to the rebels from $15 million to $25 million. The money was reportedly allocated for nonlethal use, particularly encrypted radios to assist the rebels stay connected to the U.S. officials.