PhotoIn June 2011, the last time I was in Aleppo, I visited my grandmother’s home every day. This diverse part of the city, in the west, has largely avoided the destruction of the war swirling around it — so far. Aleppo is the last major city where the rebels control significant territory, and President Bashar al-Assad thinks that capturing it could bring him close to so-called victory. In July, his forces tightened the noose around eastern Aleppo to wage yet another brutal “kneel or starve” campaign. This is what it feels like to watch your city rip itself apart: a constant oscillation between guilt and relief, fear and pride.

Source: New York Times August 13, 2016 18:22 UTC