
The Free Syrian Army has grown to include many young fighters from the provinces, who have taken up arms and now fight in the streets in which they used to live.

New katibas (roughly translated as "brigades") were popping up, started by those who could muster men, arms, and finances to fuel the revolution.

Casualty rates are high amongst fighters, but their dedication to the revolution keeps them on the battlefield.

The rebels' knowledge of the city gave them a significant advantage over the better equipped loyalist troops. They created passages through what once were houses to navigate the city away from the snipers of the regime.

Many of the city's streets were "sniper alleys", across which rebels and civilians would run to get from one neighbourhood to another.

Medical facilities in the city were inundated with civilian casualties; their injuries ranged from snipers' bullets, stray bullets and shrapnel and debris from shell and bomb blasts.

The hospitals were not immune from these attacks. One hospital in the Char district of the city—a rebel held zone—was targeted by shells and aircraft fire on multiple occasions.

In August, the Salaheddine neighbourhood became the epicentre of the city's conflict. Shells rocked the narrow, residential streets on a daily basis.

Despite many families deciding to remain in Aleppo, thousands fled, seeking shelter in northern towns and crossing the border into Turkey. Towards the end of Ramadan, one school in Azaz become home to tens of families.

In Aleppo itself, the bodies stacked up, as doctors did all they could to deal with massive trauma with limited supplies.

Access to weapons and to ammunition became difficult, and arms became scarce. Whereas in South Sudan, the prevalence of small arms meant that prices for an AK-47 were as little as $30, rebels claimed that in Aleppo, their price would be one hundred times that. A single bullet could cost one dollar.

Western nations continue their arms embargo on the country, but some countries, such as the U.S., the U.K. and France provide "non-lethal" military aid, such as communications equipment and medical supplies.

Many foreign nations feared directly arming rebels because of the disparity of armed groups operating in the country; not knowing where those arms could end up or what those groups' ideals were.

Azaz was one of the first major towns to be one by the Free Syrian Army in the north. As the battle in Aleppo raged, an increasing number of civilians took refuge in Azaz, and the regime targeted the town with air strikes.

One strike on the town on August 15, levelled a whole block, including at least 10 houses, causing over 20 people to die.

Marea, a small town between Azaz and Aleppo, became the site of many burials in August. Hundreds would congregate to assist in the funerals that took place regularly.

Abu Abed was an anti-regime rebel fighter, who was killed in Salaheddine on August 9, 2012. He was immediately brought back to Marea and buried by his family that day.

The fighting in Salaheddine intensified, with the front-lines in a constant state of flux. Rebels would move from building to building to secure more ground from regime troops.

Civilians in the Free Syrian Army held territory would hold demonstrations against the regime.

A lady walks through the dust of rubble from a bomb site. The Syrian revolution continues to be fought, as lives are destroyed.



















