Rebels point finger over massacre

State TV said they were residents of Bustan al-Qasr who had been kidnapped and killed by the al-Qaida-linked Jabhat al-Nusra group for refusing to co-operate with the rebels.

But the rebels said 80 people had been killed and blamed government troops.

The massacre follows claims said to have been unearthed by hackers of an apparent plot to stage chemical weapon attacks and blame President Bashar al-Assad's government.

An email supposedly from defence contractor Britam Defence director David Goulding to its founder Philip Doughty appears to detail an "attactive deal" from Qatar's government and approved by the US.

"We'll have to deliver a CW (chemical weapon) to Homs, a Soviet origin g-shell from Libya similar to those that Assad should have," Mr Goulding allegedly wrote.

"Frankly, I don't think it's a good idea but the sums proposed are enormous. Your opinion?"

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Donor countries pledged more than £700 million at a UN conference in Kuwait to help Syrian refugees.

The UN set a target of £950m, but said 2012's humanitarian work was only half funded.