Syrian rebels in the northern province of Aleppo on Monday, July 1 threatened to seize two Shi'ite Muslim villages that back President Bashar al-Assad unless they surrendered to the opposition, Reuters reported.

Activists say both Nubl and Zahra villages had been reinforced by Assad's allies in the increasingly sectarian war, among them fighters from Iran and Lebanon's powerful Shi'ite guerrilla group, Hezbollah.

"We announce our intention to liberate Nubl and Zahra from the regime and its shabbiha (pro-Assad militia), and from the Hezbollah and Iranian elements," the rebels said in an Internet video.

On Sunday rebels shot down a helicopter close to Nubl, which activists said had been carrying supplies to the villages. Authorities in Damascus said they were taking Education Ministry employees to supervise school exams. Seven employees and the helicopter crew were killed, they said.

"In order to prevent a single drop of blood from being spilled and to find a peaceful solution, we have set the following conditions," the video statement by the rebels said. Among the demands were the surrender of Assad's forces and their weapons, followed by a power sharing deal between the locals and the rebels.

"If there is no response (to rebel demands for surrender) there will be a major military operation on those two villages," the statement said.