Photo Gallery War in Syria Moves to the Cities
The war in Syria has intensified since rebels poured into the capital, Damascus, 10 days ago. This week, the regime has launched a major counter-offensive in both the capital and Aleppo, Syria's two largest cities. Pictured here, an image grab from a video uploaded onto YouTube shows smoke billowing from the al-Mazzeh neighborhood of Damascus.
In an image grab taken from footage broadcast by Syrian state TV on July 22, Syrian security forces purportedly comb through Basatin al-Raz dictrict of Damascus looking for rebels. Reports on Wednesday indicate that government forces have largely regained control of Damascus.
According to media reports this week, the regime of autocrat President Bashar Assad has deployed fighter jets in the fight for Damascus and Aleppo, forcing thousands to flee. Here, a truck burns after a shelling in the Damascus suburb of Erbeen.
The regime appears to have beaten back rebel forces in Damascus and is now turning its attention to Aleppo in the north of the country. Here, people look at damage at al-Midan quarter of Damascus.
Heavy fighting is ongoing in Aleppo, with government forces assailing rebels from the air. The regime has reportedly sent thousands of troops to Aleppo on Wednesday.
Aleppo, had, until recently, escaped the war relatively unscathed. Pictured here, Syrian rebels chanting slogans against the regime in Aleppo last week. Now, the city has been plunged into violence as the regime attempts to destroy the opposition.
The rebels had made gains in Aleppo last week, which the regime is now attempting to claw back. Here, a Syrian rebel hunts for snipers after attacking the municipality building in the city center of Selehattin, near Aleppo.
The regime's counter-offensive has included the heavy use of attack helicopters and fighter aircrafts to bombard the opposition. Here, a member of the Syrian Free Army prepares his anti-aircraft bullets in Azaz in the Aleppo province.
In addition to Damascus and Aleppo, clashes have also been reported in the revolutionary city of Homs, which has seen significant fighting for months. Pictured here, destroyed cars in the Bayyada district of Homs.
Syria's violent 16 month-war appears to be moving from the countryside into the cities, with rebels becoming increasingly adept. Here, smoke rises from the site of an explosion in Homs on July 22.
A picture released by the Syrian opposition Shaam News Network allegedly shows a burnt building in the flashpoint Khalidiya district of Homs.
Pictured here, a Syrian rebel raising his rifle at the Bab Al-Salam border crossing to Turkey. Rebels captured several posts on the Syrian side of the shared border with Turkey last week.
Due to worsening security conditions, Turkey has announced that all remaining open border crossings with Syria (at Cilvegozu, Oncupinar and Karkamis) will be closed from Wednesday. Here, a member of the Syria Free Army steps on a Syria flag at the Bab Al-Salam border crossing to Turkey last week.
The intense fighting has been accompanied by great loss of life. Activists said on Sunday that the death toll in Syria had risen sharply to 19,000. In this file photo from March 2012, a group of Syria refugees flee violence in their country by clearing barbed wire to enter Turkey near Reyhanli.
More than 30,000 Syrians have fled to neighboring Lebanon with others still looking to escape. Pictured here, a Syrian car arrives in Lebanon with luggage strapped to its trunk.
