Since the Battle of Aleppo started in 2012, the city has suffered massive destruction. Aleppo was literally war-torn: it was split between the government-held western part and the rebel-held east. Take a look at the ruined streets of the Syrian city, which once were bright and full of life.
© Photo : Michael Alaeddin/ Reuters, Khalil AshawiRIGHT (before): Al-Jdeideh neighborhood in the Old City of Aleppo, December 2009.
LEFT (after): The Old City of Aleppo, February 2016.
LEFT (after): The Old City of Aleppo, February 2016.
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© Photo : Michael Alaeddin/ Reuters, Khalil Ashawi
RIGHT (before): Al-Jdeideh neighborhood in the Old City of Aleppo, December 2009.
LEFT (after): The Old City of Aleppo, February 2016.
LEFT (after): The Old City of Aleppo, February 2016.
© Photo : AFP 2016, Stringer/ REUTERS, Khalil AshawiRIGHT (before): One of the main landmarks of Aleppo, the Bab al-Faraj Clock Tower in the historic city center, October 2010.
LEFT (after): A heavily damaged area in the Old City of Aleppo, January 2013.
LEFT (after): A heavily damaged area in the Old City of Aleppo, January 2013.
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© Photo : AFP 2016, Stringer/ REUTERS, Khalil Ashawi
RIGHT (before): One of the main landmarks of Aleppo, the Bab al-Faraj Clock Tower in the historic city center, October 2010.
LEFT (after): A heavily damaged area in the Old City of Aleppo, January 2013.
LEFT (after): A heavily damaged area in the Old City of Aleppo, January 2013.
© Photo : AFP, Tauseef Mustafa/ Reuters, Khalil AshawiRIGHT (before): People walk inside the Khan al-Shounah market in the Old City of Aleppo, December 2009.
LEFT (after): A Syrian rebel (rear) walks inside a burnt section of the Umayyad Mosque in the old city of Aleppo hours before the Syrian army retook control of the complex, October 2012.
LEFT (after): A Syrian rebel (rear) walks inside a burnt section of the Umayyad Mosque in the old city of Aleppo hours before the Syrian army retook control of the complex, October 2012.
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© Photo : AFP, Tauseef Mustafa/ Reuters, Khalil Ashawi
RIGHT (before): People walk inside the Khan al-Shounah market in the Old City of Aleppo, December 2009.
LEFT (after): A Syrian rebel (rear) walks inside a burnt section of the Umayyad Mosque in the old city of Aleppo hours before the Syrian army retook control of the complex, October 2012.
LEFT (after): A Syrian rebel (rear) walks inside a burnt section of the Umayyad Mosque in the old city of Aleppo hours before the Syrian army retook control of the complex, October 2012.
© Photo : Sputnik, Michael Alaeddin/Reuters, Khalil AshawiRIGHT (before): Part of the Queiq River in Aleppo, October 2010.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016.
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© Photo : Sputnik, Michael Alaeddin/Reuters, Khalil Ashawi
RIGHT (before): Part of the Queiq River in Aleppo, October 2010.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016.
© Photo : AFP, George OURFALIAN/ REUTERS/Khalil AshawiRIGHT (before): Visitors walk inside Aleppo's Umayyad mosque, October 2010.
LEFT (after): The Syrian government forces' soldiers walk in the ancient Umayyad mosque in the old city of Aleppo, December 2016, after they captured the area.
LEFT (after): The Syrian government forces' soldiers walk in the ancient Umayyad mosque in the old city of Aleppo, December 2016, after they captured the area.
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© Photo : AFP, George OURFALIAN/ REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
RIGHT (before): Visitors walk inside Aleppo's Umayyad mosque, October 2010.
LEFT (after): The Syrian government forces' soldiers walk in the ancient Umayyad mosque in the old city of Aleppo, December 2016, after they captured the area.
LEFT (after): The Syrian government forces' soldiers walk in the ancient Umayyad mosque in the old city of Aleppo, December 2016, after they captured the area.
© Photo : Michael Alaeddin/Reuters, Khalil AshawiRIGHT (before): The Statue of Bishop Germanos Farhat, pictured in front of a church in the Old City of Aleppo, December 2009.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016. The Old Town is a complex of buildings 12th-16th centuries, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016. The Old Town is a complex of buildings 12th-16th centuries, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.
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© Photo : Michael Alaeddin/Reuters, Khalil Ashawi
RIGHT (before): The Statue of Bishop Germanos Farhat, pictured in front of a church in the Old City of Aleppo, December 2009.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016. The Old Town is a complex of buildings 12th-16th centuries, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016. The Old Town is a complex of buildings 12th-16th centuries, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986.
© Photo : Sputnik, Michael Alaeddin/ Reuters, Khalil AshawiRIGHT (before): A panoramic view of the city seen from the top of Aleppo's historic citadel, December 2009.
LEFT (after): Eastern rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, 2016.
LEFT (after): Eastern rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, 2016.
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© Photo : Sputnik, Michael Alaeddin/ Reuters, Khalil Ashawi
RIGHT (before): A panoramic view of the city seen from the top of Aleppo's historic citadel, December 2009.
LEFT (after): Eastern rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, 2016.
LEFT (after): Eastern rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, 2016.
© Photo : Sputnik, Michael Alaeddin/Reuters, Khalil AshawiRIGHT (before): An alley in al-Jdeideh neighborhood in the Old City of Aleppo, December 2009.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016.
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© Photo : Sputnik, Michael Alaeddin/Reuters, Khalil Ashawi
RIGHT (before): An alley in al-Jdeideh neighborhood in the Old City of Aleppo, December 2009.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016.
LEFT (after): One of the streets in the historic city center, February 2016.
© Photo : AFP 2016, Youssef Karwashan/ REUTERS, Khalil AshawiRIGHT (before): People walk along a street near Aleppo's historic citadel in the Old City of Aleppo, December 2009.
LEFT (after): Syrian government soldiers walk in the damaged al-Farafira souk in the government-held side of Aleppo's historic city center on September 2016.
LEFT (after): Syrian government soldiers walk in the damaged al-Farafira souk in the government-held side of Aleppo's historic city center on September 2016.
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© Photo : AFP 2016, Youssef Karwashan/ REUTERS, Khalil Ashawi
RIGHT (before): People walk along a street near Aleppo's historic citadel in the Old City of Aleppo, December 2009.
LEFT (after): Syrian government soldiers walk in the damaged al-Farafira souk in the government-held side of Aleppo's historic city center on September 2016.
LEFT (after): Syrian government soldiers walk in the damaged al-Farafira souk in the government-held side of Aleppo's historic city center on September 2016.