Syrian rebels said three Iranian captives were killed yesterday during an air attack in Damascus province by government forces, and threatened to kill the remaining Iranians in their custody unless the army stopped its attack.

“They were killed when the aircraft attacked. One of the houses they were in collapsed over their heads,” rebel spokesman Moutassam al-Ahmed told Reuters. “We will kill the rest if the army does not stop its assault. They have one hour.”

Ahmed said that a number of rebels were also killed in the attack. “Our losses are bigger than theirs.”

Fighters from the Al Baraa brigade of the rebel Free Syrian Army kidnapped 48 Iranians on Saturday on suspicion of being military personnel, but Tehran says they are pilgrims.

Insurgents fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accuse Iran of sending fighters from its Revolutionary Guard to help Assad’s forces put down the 17-month-old uprising. The Islamic Republic denies the accusations.

“We have documents that they are involved with the Revolutionary Guards,” Ahmed said.

Several groups of Iranians have been abducted in Syria since the uprising began in March 2011.