UK’s deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, described Syria as a "horrible crucible of violence" which has spilled into other countries in the region and is a "very direct threat" to the UK.
The Syrian government asserts that it is not the enemy, that it is the Islamist fighters who dominate the armed opposition who are at the root of the country’s destruction.
Nowhere in Syria is the divide between rebel and government supporters more prevalent than in Aleppo where the rebels occupy the eastern part of the city and pro-regime Syrians occupy the West.
The result is a front line in the middle of the city where fierce battles take place between the two sides.
In the city of ruins, Syrians have taken refuge in destroyed and abandoned buildings.
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Mariam Akash is one of them – she moved into a half built home with her nine children after her husband was killed by a sniper.
“We’re just living on the edge of life. We’re always nervous, we’re always afraid,” she says. “When there are clashes, I hide the children and tell them to keep their heads down. I’m always worried about them getting caught in the fighting.”
For people like Mariam, there is no time to debate whether it was the regime’s actions or the West’s inactions that have given Islamist extremists the chances they’ve seized.
