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Intense fighting reported in Syria's largest city

ReutersWomen at the graves of their sons, whom activists say were killed by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, in a cemetery in the Qusseer neighborhood in Homs.

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Syrian forces on Saturday pounded rebel positions in Aleppo, the nation's most populous city, according to media reports.

A number of opposition fighters were killed in the fierce battles, according to the British Broadcasting Corp. Rebels with the Free Syrian Army told BBC they pushed back an army incursion and destroyed tanks, but their claims could not be independently confirmed.

Syrian troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad used military helicopters in Aleppo, where activists said soldiers were targeting rebel-held neighborhoods, the Associated Press reported.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition group, said 29 people were killed in Aleppo on Saturday. At last 90 people died across Syria during the day, according to the BBC.

Syrian state television claimed rebels were attempting to turn Aleppo into a haven for terrorists after failing to succeed in Damascus.

The heavy fighting in Aleppo started more than a week ago, and caused the Red Crescent to suspend some operations there.

Tens of thousands of Syrians have fled the violence during the past few months. Jordan is readying its first official camp to shelter some of the 140,000 Syrians who it says have crossed its border.

International efforts to end the violence that began more than a year ago have failed, with at least 19,000 people killed in the fighting, according to the Observatory.