But it wasn't always like this.
The people of Aleppo once walked the streets in safety, shopped in crowded markets and sipped tea on patios — living a relatively peaceful life in Syria's largest city.
The metropolis — which encompasses the Old City of Aleppo, a UNESCO World Heritage site — was also a tourist hub known for its citadels, bustling shopping centres and Islamic history.
In 2012, about a year after the Syrian unrest began, the city became a key battleground in the conflict. Since then, the city which used to be home to about 2.3 million people, has seen mass evacuations.
But not all have been able to leave. There are still an estimated 275,000 Syrians under siege in Aleppo. The life they know now is worlds away from that they knew just years ago.
Much of Aleppo has vanished, but can still be found in these photos:
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