Moving on to the situation in Syria... The UN Security Council is scheduled to have an emergency meeting on Sunday morning, at the request of the United States and France.

UN officials say ambassadors are expected to air their views on Syria's latest ground developments, and disucss the latest military escalation in northern Aleppo city.

Earlier on Saturday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was appalled by the latest escalation in Aleppo, saying the city is facing "the most sustained and intense bombardment since the start of the Syrian conflict."