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Activists raise death toll from Syrian airstrikes on market in northern city to 65

Associated Press
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This citizen journalism image provided by Aleppo Media Center, AMC, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a destroyed building after a Syrian aircraft pummeled masaken hanano, an opposition neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013. Syrian aircraft pummeled an opposition neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo on Sunday, killing scores and extending the government's furious aerial bombardment of the rebel-held half of the divided city to an eighth consecutive day. (AP Photo/Aleppo Media Center AMC) (The Associated Press)

In this citizen journalism image provided by Aleppo Media Center, AMC, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, firefighters hose down burning vehicles after a Syrian aircraft pummeled masaken hanano, an opposition neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013. Syrian aircraft pummeled an opposition neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo on Sunday, killing scores and extending the government's furious aerial bombardment of the rebel-held half of the divided city to an eighth consecutive day. (AP Photo/Aleppo Media Center AMC) (The Associated Press)

In this citizen journalism image provided by Aleppo Media Center, AMC, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, vehicles burn after a Syrian aircraft pummeled masaken hanano, an opposition neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013. Syrian aircraft pummeled an opposition neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo on Sunday, killing scores and extending the government's furious aerial bombardment of the rebel-held half of the divided city to an eighth consecutive day. (AP Photo/Aleppo Media Center AMC) (The Associated Press)

Syrian activists have raised to 65 the death toll from airstrikes around a market area in the northern city of Aleppo the previous day.

The British-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights says mostly civilians were killed when government helicopters dumped explosives-laden barrel bombs around the Masaken Hanano market on Sunday.

It was one of the worst bombings in the Syrian military's nine-day air offensive against Aleppo and its surroundings.

Earlier, the Observatory said that 47 people were killed. The Observatory, which gathers information from a network of activists on the ground, said the death toll was raised after it was able to identify more victims.

Another activist group, the Aleppo Media Center, said Monday that 83 people were killed. Such conflicting figures are common in the aftermath of large bombings.