The Siege of Halab

The conflict in Syria, began on 15 March 2011 with nationwide demonstrations, as part of the wider protest movement known as the Arab Spring. In April 2011, the Syrian Army was deployed to quell the uprising, and soldiers were ordered to open fire on demonstrators. After months of military sieges, the protests evolved into an armed rebellion. Fighting in Aleppo governorate began on 10 February 2012. Over the next ve months, major clashes left large parts of the rural countryside under rebel control, with the capital of the province, Aleppo city, still being firmly under government control. However, on 19 July, rebel forces stormed the city and a battle for control of Syria's largest city and economic hub had begun. The battle for Aleppo has been going on for months and it is the civilian population suffering the most, because of the indiscriminate shelling. I spent one month in Halab/Aleppo in October 2012, when Daesh (IS, ISIS, ISIL) wasn't on the ground yet.