Celebrating Ramadan amidst Aleppo's destruction

  • Ramadan has always been a bustling time in Aleppo. Markets are full of people looking for food and produce for their fasting families.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC /Ali Youssef
  • Abu Ahmad had to close his bakery in the old market during the years of fighting in his city. He reopened his shop recently and now he is selling special sweets and cookies to celebrate the month of Ramadan.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC /Ali Youssef
  • In Aljamilieh market, one of the most popular markets in Aleppo, a man sells flower petals for making jams and herbal teas. Many in Aleppo lost their jobs during the war and are trying to make a living today however they can.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC /Ali Youssef
  • A man sells tomatoes, surrounded by buildings destroyed by the fighting in Aleppo.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC /Ali Youssef
  • This street in Aleppo was a frontline during the fighting. Today, it is bustling with farmers selling their goods.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC /Ali Youssef
  • This street is one of several in Aleppo that remains riddled with unexploded mines that threaten the lives of pedestrians.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC /Ali Youssef
  • Life has come back to Eastern Aleppo but the scars of war are everywhere.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC /Ali Youssef
23 May 2018

People are returning home to Aleppo but the city remains scarred by years of fighting. The lack of opportunities and resources have left many without a stable income. The destroyed homes, buildings and infrastructure are among the manifold challenges facing Syrians in Aleppo every day.