Syrian military helicopters have dropped barrel bombs on the rebel-held city of Daraya. The widespread destruction wrought by the improvised armaments was captured on unverified amateur video by Daraya activists.

While the talking has been going on in Geneva, one NGO claims that 1,900 Syrians have died across the country in the fighting between the Syrian army and rebels.

Elsewhere and in Yarmouk Palestinian camp in a suburb of Damascus, refugees were shot at only hours after a United Nations agency finally delivered some food aid.

One thousand food parcels were the first to reach the camp since January 21 when a mere 138 parcels were sent in.

Each one can feed a family of eight for up to 10 days. The camp houses 18,000 Palestinians who have been cut off by a Syrian army siege for months.

It is in Yarmouk, Homs and in other besieged ares that success or failure of the Geneva talks will be keenly felt.