Opposition forces in Syria charge that the army of President Bashar Al-Assad is using weapons of mass destruction in the Aleppo area, according to the a Friday report by the Times of London. The rebels say government forces used "mass-killing thermobaric" bombs which can cause burns and damage to internal organs.

The rebels also told the newspaper that they have staged a tactical retreat from Aleppo due to an extensive operation by government forces, adding that the area is completely empty of opposition fighters.