The Syrian civil war has been raging for half a decade now, and the scars show more than ever. The drone footage below show parts of suburban Syria totally destroyed for as far as the eye can see. It is amazing to think that humans live in this horrific battle zone, but they do.

The video was shot in parts of Jobar, once a highly populated neighborhood in outskirts of Syria’s Capital, Damascus. It has since been the center of intense fighting between Assad’s forces and rebel groups.

According , the area is also home to some pretty spectacular historical sites:

“Before the conflict in Syria erupted in 2011, the neighborhood was home to some 300,000 residents, most of whom were Sunni Muslims. The suburb contained a number of ancient landmarks, most notably the Green Synagogue, the oldest Jewish synagogue in the world. It also contained the Grand Jobar Mosque in addition to the tomb of the Prophet Elijah. Jobar also housed ancient baths that were built during Ottoman times.”

Now the area is a wasteland where houses and shops are occupied by opposing factions that may differ from block-to-block and . Tunnels run through the area as well, making the fighting totally unpredictable and extremely deadly.

Helicopters are not known for being the most useful bombing platforms, but some of Russia’s combat…

At a certain point, you have to wonder what they are really fighting for, as destruction like this will take a generation or more to rebuild.

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