December 23, 2016 Issue

Saraqeb, Syria—A Syrian Civil Defense member climbs out of a crater created by an airstrike in rebel-held Idlib province on December 11, about 30 miles southwest of Aleppo, as troops and militias loyal to president Bashar al-Assad pushed back the rebels and regained control of eastern Aleppo. The U.S. tried to negotiate a temporary ceasefire so the remaining rebels could leave Eastern Aleppo, but Russia demanded their surrender, a legal adviser to the rebels told the AP. “This pushes us to fight to the last breath despite what we have to face,” the adviser said.