Aleppo rebels downed Army helicopter near military airport: commander

Al-Shamiya Front said its air defense battalion in the northern province of Aleppo has downed early Tuesday a Syrian army helicopter near al-Nayrab airport, the key rebel group said in statement.

Abu Hassan ,rebel commander told Zaman al-Wasl that the helicopter was filled by food and basic staples for the besieged soldiers in Nayrab airport for over three years.

Abu Hassan said the wreckage of the helicopter downed inside the airport fences. . Activists say the Syrian military frequently uses helicopters to drop crude barrel bombs - giant canisters packed with hundreds of pounds of explosives and scrap metal - on rebel-held towns and neighborhoods.

President Bashar al-Assad has denied that barrel bombs are used by the military.