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Share this on:FacebookTwitterDiggdeliciousredditMySpaceStumbleUponLinkedInViadeo The world's record-breaking airports By Lauren Said-Moorhouse, for CNNAugust 15, 2012 -- Updated 1948 GMT (0348 HKT)if (typeof cnnArticleGallery=="undefined"){var cnnArticleGallery={};if(typeof cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=="undefined"){cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=[];}}var expGalleryPT00=new ArticleExpandableGallery();expGalleryPT00.setImageCount(8);//cnn_adbptrackpgalimg("Most international passengers", 1);.cnn_html_slideshow_metadata > .cnn_html_media_utility::before{color:red;content:'>>';font-size:9px;line-height:12px;padding-right:1px}.cnnstrylccimg640{margin:0 27px 14px 0}.captionText{filter:alpha(opacity=100);opacity:1}.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:visited,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:link,.captionText a,.captionText a:visited,.captiontext a:link{color:#004276;outline:medium none}.cnnVerticalGalleryPhoto{margin:0 auto;padding-right:68px;width:270px}
London's Heathrow has more international passengers than any other airport, according to Guinness World Records, with 64.7 million in 2011.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":true,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":1,"title":"Most international passengers"}Holding the record for the world's closest airports are the gateways to Papa Westray and Westray, neighboring islands in the Scottish Orkneys. A flight between the two takes an average of 96 seconds (2 minutes if you include taxiing time).cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"World\'s closest airports"}Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport holds two records, according to Guinness World Records. It is the busiest airport in the world in terms of the number of aircraft taking off and landing -- 924,000 in 2011 -- and also has the most passengers traveling through -- more than 92 million last year.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"World\'s busiest airport"}The world's shortest commercially serviceable runway is at Juancho E.Yrausquin Airport on the island of Saba, Netherlands Antilles, in the Caribbean. The runway is just 396 meters (1,300 feet) in length; most aircraft carriers are only slightly longer than this. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"World\'s shortest runway"}The world's highest airport sits at 14,219 feet above sea level. Surrounded by mountains, Qamdo Bangda Airport in Tibet operates a scheduled airline service but requires an extra-long runway (13,794 feet) to accommodate the extended stopping distance caused by the lack of atmospheric resistance at that altitude.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"Highest airport in the world"}The world's largest airport building is in Dubai. First opened in 2008, the 12.76 million square foot Terminal 3 has boosted the handling capacity of Dubai International Airport to 60 million passengers a year.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"Largest airport building"}Hong Kong International Airport won the World's Best Airport award at the World Airport Awards 2011. At a reported $20 billion, it is one of the most expensive airport construction projects. It is also the world's busiest airport for cargo (freight and mail) and international freight (excluding mail).cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":7,"title":"Busiest cargo airport"}Mataveri International Airport on Easter Island is the world's most isolated airport, situated a remote 3,759 km from the nearest city -- Santiago, Chile.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":8,"title":"World\'s most isolated airport"}HIDE CAPTIONMost international passengersWorld's closest airportsWorld's busiest airportWorld's shortest runwayHighest airport in the worldLargest airport buildingBusiest cargo airportWorld's most isolated airport<<<
Holding the record for the world's closest airports are the gateways to Papa Westray and Westray, neighboring islands in the Scottish Orkneys. A flight between the two takes an average of 96 seconds (2 minutes if you include taxiing time).cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"World\'s closest airports"}
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport holds two records, according to Guinness World Records. It is the busiest airport in the world in terms of the number of aircraft taking off and landing -- 924,000 in 2011 -- and also has the most passengers traveling through -- more than 92 million last year.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"World\'s busiest airport"}
The world's shortest commercially serviceable runway is at Juancho E.Yrausquin Airport on the island of Saba, Netherlands Antilles, in the Caribbean. The runway is just 396 meters (1,300 feet) in length; most aircraft carriers are only slightly longer than this. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"World\'s shortest runway"}
The world's highest airport sits at 14,219 feet above sea level. Surrounded by mountains, Qamdo Bangda Airport in Tibet operates a scheduled airline service but requires an extra-long runway (13,794 feet) to accommodate the extended stopping distance caused by the lack of atmospheric resistance at that altitude.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"Highest airport in the world"}
The world's largest airport building is in Dubai. First opened in 2008, the 12.76 million square foot Terminal 3 has boosted the handling capacity of Dubai International Airport to 60 million passengers a year.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"Largest airport building"}
Hong Kong International Airport won the World's Best Airport award at the World Airport Awards 2011. At a reported $20 billion, it is one of the most expensive airport construction projects. It is also the world's busiest airport for cargo (freight and mail) and international freight (excluding mail).cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":7,"title":"Busiest cargo airport"}
Mataveri International Airport on Easter Island is the world's most isolated airport, situated a remote 3,759 km from the nearest city -- Santiago, Chile.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":8,"title":"World\'s most isolated airport"}HIDE CAPTIONMost international passengersWorld's closest airportsWorld's busiest airportWorld's shortest runwayHighest airport in the worldLargest airport buildingBusiest cargo airportWorld's most isolated airport<<<
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8>>>Event.observe(window,'load',function(){if(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined'){cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image,"World's record-breaking airports");}});STORY HIGHLIGHTSA record 137,000 people departed from Heathrow on August 13Here are some of the world's record-breaking airportsEach week The Gateway goes behind the scenes of the world's major transport hubs, revealing the logistics that keep goods and people moving.(CNN) -- London Heathrow, the world's busiest airport in terms of international passengers, has just celebrated its busiest day ever, with 137,000 people departing from the airport on August 13.
But it's not the only airport in the world to boast impressive numbers. Here, we've enlisted the help of the world authority on superlative achievements -- Guinness World Records -- to compile a gallery of record-breaking airports from across the globe.Are you a window flier or aisle seater?TSA to investigate racial profiling claimsPolicy on unaccompanied kids causes flapShare this on:FacebookTwitterDiggdeliciousredditMySpaceStumbleUponLinkedInViadeo var OB_permalink='http://edition.cnn.com'+location.pathname;var OB_langJS='http://widgets.outbrain.com/lang_en.js';var OB_widgetId='AR_1';var OB_Template="cnnedition";if (typeof(OB_Script)!='undefined'){OutbrainStart();}else{var OB_Script=true;var str="cnnad_createAd("102417","http://ads.cnn.com/html.ng/site=cnn_international&cnn_intl_pagetype=mmst&cnn_intl_position=607x95_adlinks&cnn_intl_rollup=travel&page.allowcompete=no¶ms.styles=fs","95","607");cnnad_registerSpace(102417,607,95);cnnad_createAd("679435","http://ads.cnn.com/html.ng/site=cnn_international&cnn_intl_pagetype=mmst&cnn_intl_position=336x850_rgt&cnn_intl_rollup=special_reports&cnn_intl_section=the_gateway&page.allowcompete=no¶ms.styles=fs","850","336");cnnad_registerSpace(679435,336,850);
Part of complete coverage on The GatewayThe state of global shippingAugust 23, 2012 -- Updated 0936 GMT (1736 HKT)
Shipping is key to the global economy, with 90% of world trade carried by sea.CNN looks at the numbers behind the world's shipping industry.Female captain fights armed robberiesAugust 22, 2012 -- Updated 1354 GMT (2154 HKT)
With 46 pirate attacks reported in Indonesian waters in 2011, the country's coast guard works hard to keep ports safe.Jakarta's maritime historyAugust 15, 2012 -- Updated 1603 GMT (0003 HKT)
Just minutes from the modern Tanjung Priok, Jakarta's ancient port is still active. CNN stops to examine the city's maritime history.The world's record-breaking airports August 15, 2012 -- Updated 1948 GMT (0348 HKT)
London Heathrow celebrated its busiest day ever on August 13. But where are the world's other record-breaking transport hubs? Infographic: Heathrow set for GamesJuly 16, 2012 -- Updated 1624 GMT (0024 HKT)
In numbers: How Heathrow Airport is preparing for a tidal wave of extra travelers for the London Olympics.Writer's extra-long lay overJuly 25, 2012 -- Updated 1458 GMT (2258 HKT)
Heathrow Airport is under close scrutiny ahead of the London Olympics, but at least it has one fan in British writer Tony Parsons. Learning how to park a planeJuly 11, 2012 -- Updated 1554 GMT (2354 HKT)
Becky Anderson goes "air side" to meet the airplane marshalls and learn how to park a plane. 'The busiest airspace in the world'July 4, 2012 -- Updated 1458 GMT (2258 HKT)
Heathrow is at 99.2% capacity and bursting at the seams. Becky Anderson visits one of the world's busiest airports.The world's transport gateways
Transport hubs are what keep people and goods moving across the planet. Watch time-lapse videos showing a day in the life of the world's busiest ports, stations and airports.Quiz: Heathrow AirportJune 28, 2012 -- Updated 1131 GMT (1931 HKT)
Test your Heathrow knowledge with our quiz..cnn_strycrcntrnwsp .cnn_mtpmore { padding:10px 0px 1px 0px; }.cnn_stryccnwsp2 .cnn_stryccnwsp3 { width:100% }Most PopularToday's five most popular storiesMichael Clarke Duncan, Academy Award nominee for 'Green Mile,' dead at 54Bahrain court upholds verdicts against group accused of coup attemptMore than 103,400 refugees flee Syria in a month as humanitarian crisis worsensTrial of a priest and a teacher accused in boy's rape set to begin in PhiladelphiaCan Bruce Willis leave his iTunes music to his kids?cnnad_createAd("124371","http://ads.cnn.com/html.ng/site=cnn_international&cnn_intl_pagetype=mmst&cnn_intl_position=300x150_rgt&cnn_intl_rollup=special_reports&cnn_intl_section=the_gateway&page.allowcompete=no¶ms.styles=fs","150","300");cnnad_registerSpace(124371,300,150);cnnad_createAd("543953","http://ads.cnn.com/html.ng/site=cnn_international&cnn_intl_pagetype=mmst&cnn_intl_position=336x280_adlinks&cnn_intl_rollup=travel&page.allowcompete=no¶ms.styles=fs","280","336");cnnad_registerSpace(543953,336,280); Loading weather data ...
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cnnad_ugsync();var cnn_edtnswtchver="edition";msQueueManager.init('requestFrame',ms_blankURL);$$('.cnn_sectbincntnt2 ul').each(function(bulletlist,idx){while(bulletlist.getHeight()>145){bulletlist.childElements().last().remove();}});if(ms_isLoggedIn()){CNN_setCookie('CNN_member',true,854400,'/',document.domain);}/*jslint sloppy: true, eqeq: true, nomen: true, maxerr: 50, indent: 4 *//*globals _jsmd, location, cnn_metadata */var jsmd = _jsmd.init(),pageURL = location.href.toLowerCase();if (pageURL.indexOf("/.element/ssi/ads.iframes/") == -1 && pageURL.indexOf("/doubleclick/dartiframe.html") == -1 && pageURL.indexOf("/search/") == -1) {if (_jsmd.plugin.gQuery("refresh")) {jsmd.trackMetrics("dynamic-autoRefresh", "autorefresh", "cnn-autorefresh");} else if (_jsmd.plugin.gQuery("is_LR")) {//do nothing} else if (cnn_metadata.template_type_content != "gallery") {jsmd.send();}}/*globals CNN_CB*/$j(document).ready(function () {'use strict';loadChartbeat("travel", "szeidler");});
Free Syrian Army fighters take up positions in a shelled out building in the Seif El Dawla neighborhood of Aleppo on Sunday, September 2, as clashes with Syrian government forces continue.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":true,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":1,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
A Free Syrian Army fighter peeks around the corner of a building during a shootout with snipers on a street in the El Amreeyeh neighborhood of Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
Syrian detainees who were arrested for participation in protests against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime sign their release papers at the Damascus police leadership building Saturday, September 1.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
Syrian prisoners wait in line to sign their release papers at the Damascus central police station on Saturday, as the authorities released 158 people from the facility.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
Syrian prisoners congratulate each other as they walk out of the Damascus central police station.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
A Syrian air force fighter jet launches missiles at El Edaa district in Syria's northwestern city of Aleppo. Nearly 18 months of violence have left thousands dead in Syria.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
Smoke rises from the El Edaa district after a Syrian fighter jet dropped missiles.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":7,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
Civilians carry their belongings and flee the El Edaa district after an airstrike.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":8,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
Escaping civilians drive through the El Amreeyeh neighborhood in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":9,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
Free Syrian Army fighters transport explosives on a motorbike in Aleppo on Friday, August 31.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":10,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
A boy sits at a window spotted with bullet holes at a local bakery.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":11,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
Children pass a bagged body outside a hospital in Aleppo on Thursday, August 30. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":12,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}
Members of the Syrian opposition carry a wounded man outside a hospital in Aleppo on Thursday, August 30. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":13,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120830044653-0830-syria-03-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter walks through a hole in a damaged house on his way to the El Amreeyeh neighborhood frontline during clashes with government forces in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":14,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120830044655-0830-syria-04-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army fighters take up position during clashes in the El Amreeyeh neighborhood of Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":15,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120830044657-0830-syria-05-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army fighters run for cover after Syrian forces fired a mortar in El Amreeyeh.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":16,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120829063141-syria-0829-01-cm-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian opposition fighter aims a sniper rifle at government forces in Aleppo on Wednesday, August 29.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":17,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120829063333-syria-0829-02-cm-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian opposition fighters swear an oath for the liberation of Syria in Aleppo on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":18,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120829063504-syria-0828-03-cm-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army fighters carry a wounded member into a hospital in Aleppo on Tuesday, August 28.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":19,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120829105709-syria-0829-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army rebels dodge fire from Syrian forces as they run down a street in Aleppo on Tuesday. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":20,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120829124119-syria-0829-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A rebel fighter takes cover during clashes Tuesday with government forces in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":21,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120829124122-syria-0829-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
An opposition fighter fires at government forces from a street in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":22,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120828040552-0828-syria-01-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Residents walk past buildings damaged in what activists said was an airstrike by the Syrian air force on Kafranbel, near Idlib.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":23,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120828040555-0828-syria-02-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Doctors treat a wounded girl at a hospital in Aleppo, Syria's largest city, on Tuesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":24,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120828040557-0828-syria-03-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Residents look over the bodies of people killed in the violence Tuesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":25,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120828040559-0828-syria-04-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Civilians flee the violence from the Damascus suburb of Kafr Batna.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":26,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120828040601-0828-syria-05-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A man reacts as an ambulance arrives with the body of a Free Syrian Army fighter outside a hospital in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":27,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120828040604-0828-syria-06-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A paramedic and another man cover the body of a Free Syrian Army fighter outside a hospital in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":28,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120828040604-0828-syria-07-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Smoke rises in the Damascus suburb of Ain Terma during clashes between Syrian rebels and pro-government forces.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":29,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120827035129-01-0827-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A boy rides a bicycle toward fuel trucks struck by missiles from fighter jets in the Bab al-Nayrab district of Aleppo, Syria, on Monday, August 27. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":30,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120827035121-02-0827-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Fuel tankers smoke and smolder after being struck by missiles in Aleppo on Monday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":31,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120827035114-03-0827-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian army fighters discuss a new tactic to push the front lines in the Seif El Dawla neighborhood of Aleppo on Monday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":32,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120827035106-04-0827-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army sniper takes his position in Seif El Dawla on Monday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":33,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120827035920-syria-prisoner-release-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Men arrested for their involvement in anti-regime protests wait to be released in Damascus on Monday. The official Syrian news agency reported that authorities released 378 people detained for their participation in street protests, adding that those freed were never involved in acts of violence. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":34,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120827035055-05-0827-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army fighters run for cover in the old city of Aleppo on Monday. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":35,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120827035040-06-0827-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A woman sits in her wheelchair next to her house, damaged by an army air raid, near Homs on Sunday, August 26.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":36,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120826023113-syria-0826-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Rebel fighters run for cover during continued clashes with government forces in Aleppo on Saturday, August 25.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":37,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120826023350-syria-0826-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Rebel fighters fire in the streets against pro-Syrian government forces.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":38,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120826023505-syria-0826-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A street in Aleppo is covered in rubble from heavy fighting between rebels and Syrian government forces.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":39,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120826023539-syria-0826-4-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency shows Syrian soldiers carrying the body of an alleged rebel fighter in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":40,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120826023650-syria-0826-5-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A handout picture released by SANA shows army soldiers burning a revolution flag in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":41,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120826023727-syria-0826-6-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A rebel fighter communicates to his commanders during ongoing fighting in Aleppo's Mashhad neighborhood.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":42,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120826023902-syria-0826-7-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Residents line up along a street in Aleppo as they wait to receive free bread.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":43,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120826023939-syria-0826-8-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Displaced Syrian familes sit in a shelter at the border with Turkey after fleeing their homes from violence.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":44,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120826024018-syria-0826-9-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian boy whose family has been displaced due to fighting between rebel fighters and Syrian government forces stands in a field near the border with Turkey.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":45,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120824074256-syria-0824-01-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A boy receives treatment for wounds he received during an airstrike by a regime forces helicopter in Syria's northern city of Aleppo on Friday, August 24. Government forces blitzed areas in and around Syria's largest city, activists said, as Western powers sought to tighten the the reins on embattled President Bashar al-Assad's regime. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":46,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120824074301-syria-0824-02-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter takes aim at regime forces during clashes in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":47,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120824074308-syria-0824-03-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A young boy runs across the street during clashes between Free Syrian Army fighters and forces loyal to al-Assad.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":48,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120824074311-syria0824-04-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian man reacts outside an operation room as doctors treat his grandchildren after an airstrike by regime forces.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":49,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120824074314-syria0824-05-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian boy receives treatment after he was wounded by shells from a government helicopter that hit his house.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":50,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120824075319-syria0824-06-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Family and friends look for the bodies of a woman and her two daughters killed by an airstrike on Sunday, August 19. See more photos from Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, who has spent a total of about five months covering different parts of Syria since 2011.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":51,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120824075316-syria-0824-07-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
People gather around the bodies of an entire family killed by the airstrike the day before on Friday, August 17, in front of a hospital. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":52,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120824075708-syria-0824-08-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Two children are treated for shrapnel wounds at a hospital on Thursday, August 16.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":53,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120822061113-01-8-22-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Members of the Free Syrian Army clash with Syrian army soldiers in Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district on August 22.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":54,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120822061059-02-8-22-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian rebel fighter holds a handmade bomb in the Saif al-Dawla district in the center of Aleppo on August 22. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":55,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120822061041-03-8-22-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian rebels run for cover during heavy fighting in the Saif al-Dawla district in the center of Aleppo on August 22.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":56,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120822061028-04-8-22-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Members of the Free Syrian Army take up positions as smoke rises in the background during clashes with Syrian army soldiers on August 22. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":57,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120822061014-05-8-22-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A member of the Free Syrian Army aims his rifle as he uses doors as a shield on August 22.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":58,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120822060959-06-8-22-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Members of the Free Syrian Army take cover during clashes with Syrian Army soldiers on August 22.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":59,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120822060944-07-8-22-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian rebel fires towards a pro-government sniper in the Said al-Dawla district of Aleppo on August 22.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":60,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120822060930-08-8-22-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Smoke rises from Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district after what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on August 21.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":61,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120822060917-09-8-22-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Mourning relatives gather at the funeral of a Free Syrian Army fighter killed during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood of central Aleppo on August 21.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":62,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120822060905-10-8-22-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian rebel fighters stand around a cache of homemade missiles which they say they will use on forces loyal to president Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on August 21.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":63,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120821055923-03-8-21-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
The father of Amar Ali Amero, a Free Syrian Army fighter who was reportedly killed by a sniper in the Salaheddine neighborhood of central Aleppo, mourns during his funeral in Azaz, north of Aleppo, on August 21.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":64,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120821055905-05-8-21-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
People pray during the funeral of the Free Syrian Army fighter, Amar Ali Amero on August 21.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":65,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120821055938-01-8-21-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Member of the Free Syrian Army fires during clashes with Syrian army soldiers in Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district, on August 20.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":66,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120821055930-02-8-21-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A skirmish in the street of Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district between members of the Free Syrian Army and Syrian army soldiers on August 20.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":67,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120821055914-04-8-21-syria-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A man cries near the graves of his two children killed during a recent Syrian Air Force air strike in Azaz on August 20.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":68,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120820055244-syria-weapons-preparation-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Members of the Free Syrian Army prepare their weapons in Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district on Monday, August 20.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":69,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120820112102-syria-bakery-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian bakers work in the northern city of Aleppo on Sunday, August 19, the first day of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":70,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120819034505-syria-0819-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
In this image provided by Syria's national news agency, SANA, President Bashar al-Assad, center, is greeted by a cleric while attending Eid al-Fitr prayers at al-Hamad mosque in Damascus on Sunday, August 19.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":71,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120818024758-syria-unrest-8-18-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Members of the Free Syrian Army and residents try to extinguish a fire that they say was caused by shelling by forces loyal to al-Assad in the Damascus suburb of Saqba on Friday, August 17.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":72,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817054359-syria-update-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter takes aim during clashes in Aleppo on Friday, August 17. For days, the northern Syrian city has been at the center of some of the worst fighting in the 18-month-old conflict.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":73,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817054652-syria-update-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A rebel fighter makes his way through a hole in a wall during fighting Friday in Aleppo, Syria's largest city. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":74,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817054825-syria-update-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A rebel climbs some stairs in a building during clashes in central Aleppo's Salaheddine neighborhood. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":75,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817054938-syria-update-4-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A rebel fighter runs for cover as a Syrian army tank shell hits a nearby building Friday in Aleppo. The opposition accuses Syrian forces of shelling flashpoint neighborhoods in Aleppo where rebels are making a stand. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":76,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817055140-syria-update-5-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army fighters dress a mannequin to look like a fighter to draw gunfire away from them Friday in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":77,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817055348-syria-update-6-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army fighters rest Friday in Aleppo during a lull in fighting.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":78,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817125420-syria-01-secure-street-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A fighter with the rebel Free Syrian Army secures a street Friday in the Damascus suburb of Saqba. Fighting raged unabated Friday across Syria, while diplomats struggled to find a political solution.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":79,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817125422-syria-02-rifles-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Members of the Free Syrian Army try to secure a street Friday in Saqba.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":80,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817125426-syria-04-street-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
The Free Syrian Army takes charge of a street in Saqba.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":81,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817125424-syria-03-grenade-launcher-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A rebel holds a rocket-propelled grenade Friday in the Damascus suburb.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":82,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120817011611-syria-05-shooting-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an anti-aircraft gun at a Syrian air force helicopter in Aleppo on Thursday, August 16.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":83,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120816013407-syria-8-16-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army fighters carry the body of a fellow fighter during clashes Thursday in Aleppo. Government forces are pounding Syria's largest city in a siege that's become the focal point of the civil war.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":84,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120816013537-syria-8-16-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A grief-stricken woman clutches her dead baby while her husband's body is covered up following a regime airstrike on Azaz, a town near Aleppo, on Wednesday, August 15.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":85,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815104727-syria-8-15-update-2-02-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrians search for people trapped under the rubble after the airstrike Wednesday in Azaz, near Aleppo. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":86,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815110526-syria-8-15-update-2-07-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A man removes his belongings from his destroyed car at the airstrike site.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":87,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815050032-syria-8-15-01-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an AK-47 rifle in Aleppo on Wednesday, August 15.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":88,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815104730-syria-8-15-update-2-03-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrians carry the body of a woman after an airstrike in Azaaz.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":89,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815104733-syria-8-15-update-2-04-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian man reacts after an airstrike in Azaaz.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":90,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815110755-syria-8-15-update-2-08-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrians flee Azaaz following the airstrike.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":91,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120816075527-disclaimer-graphic-warning-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":92,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815050036-syria-8-15-02-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian youth holds the arm of someone trapped under rubble after an airstrike in the town of Azaaz, on the outskirts of Aleppo. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":93,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815050038-syria-8-15-03-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Black smoke billows into the air after a bomb exploded at a military site car park near a hotel used by United Nations monitors in Damascus. The explosion Wedesday wounded three people, Syrian state television said.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":94,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815050040-syria-8-15-04-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Firefighters work at the scene of a bomb explosion in central Damascus. The bomb was planted under a diesel tanker.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":95,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815050043-syria-8-15-05-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A man carries the body of a boy after a Syrian Air Force strike on Azaz, some 29 miles north of Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":96,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815050045-syria-8-15-06-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A man sits in front of tombstone workshop in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":97,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815050756-syria-8-15-07-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Jordanian security guards patrol the entrance of the Zaatari refugee camp, located outside the northern Mafraq, Jordan, which borders Syria. Refugees face the hardships of sweltering heat, dust, lack of electricity and at times sexual harassment in this UN-run desert tent camp.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":98,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120815050759-syria-8-15-08-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Jordanian security officers detain a Syrian man after he tried to escape from the Zaatari refugee camp in Mafraq.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":99,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814050302-syria-0814-10-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter learns that his commander has been killed by a tank shell in Aleppo on Tuesday, August 14. Opposition activists say shelling in dissident strongholds has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the country.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":100,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814050310-syria-0814-12-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army fighters look at the body of their commander killed by a tank shell Tuesday in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":101,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814050308-syria-0814-11-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires his rifle in Aleppo on Tuesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":102,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814030327-syria-0814-4-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian rebels fire toward a sniper in Aleppo on Monday, August 13, as fighting continues against Syrian government forces.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":103,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814030329-syria-0814-5-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A rebel fighter fires at government forces Monday in Aleppo's Salaheddin neighborhood.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":104,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814030332-syria-0814-6-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian rebel climbs a staircase in Aleppo's Salaheddin district as the opposition battles the regime.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":105,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814030616-syria-0814-7-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A man gives bags of bread to customers at a bakery run by the opposition Free Syrian Army in Aleppo, Syria's largest city.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":106,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814030334-syria-0814-8-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Rebels covered in dust and debris emerge from a building hit by an army tank shell Monday in Aleppo's Salaheddin area.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":107,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814030613-syria-0814-9-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A rebel fighter gestures toward others after emerging from a shelled building during fighting Monday with government forces.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":108,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814110035-syria-0814-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army sniper looks through the sight on his rifle from a house in Aleppo on Monday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":109,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814110038-syria-0814-2-vertical-gallery.jpg)
Rebel fighters sit behind a barricade of rocks on an Aleppo street.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":110,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120814110733-syria-0814-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army fighters walk down a debris-covered street Monday in central Aleppo's Salaheddine neighborhood.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":111,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120812015429-syria-unrest-8-11-01-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an RPG as a Syrian army tank shell hits a building across a street during heavy fighting in central Aleppo on Saturday, August 11.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":112,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120812015656-syria-unrest-8-11-02-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter sits on a window sill as he holds an AK-47 rifle in central Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":113,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120811040426-syria-0811-update-1-02-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter aims his rifle during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":114,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120811040429-syria-0811-update-1-03-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an RPG after a Syrian army tank shell hit a building during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":115,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120811040432-syria-0811-update-1-04-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter tries to fix his jammed rifle during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":116,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120811040435-syria-0811-update-1-05-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter runs for cover during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":117,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120811040438-syria-0811-update-1-06-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army fighters walk through a damaged building during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":118,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120811012818-syria-unrest-8-10-01-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter aims an RPG as he waits for Syrian army tanks in the Salaheddine neighborhood.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":119,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120811022922-syria-unrest-8-10-02-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter walks on an empty street in the Salaheddine neighborhood.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":120,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120811022924-syria-unrest-8-10-03-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Free Syrian Army members check a confiscated cache of weapons found on a truck that was searched at a checkpoint in Dana.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":121,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120809113649-syria-aleppo-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A rebel fighter fires an anti-aircraft gun during a regime airstrike on Tel Rafat, a village north of Aleppo, on Thursday, August 9. The Syrian government and rebel groups have been battling for control of Aleppo, a key front in the conflict that has morphed into a civil war.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":122,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120809113742-syria-aleppo-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian air force fighter plane fires during an airstrike Thursday in Tel Rafat, north of Aleppo. Forces loyal to the regime have been shelling Aleppo, Syria's largest city.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":123,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120809113843-syria-aleppo-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A truck burns after apparently being hit by rockets during an airstrike on Tel Rafat.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":124,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120809113922-syria-aleppo-4-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Men carry the body of a boy killed in an airstrike in the village of Tel Rafat.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":125,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120809023424-syria-aleppo-9-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A boy's body is uncovered in the rubble of a house demolished during the recent clashes in Tel Rafat.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":126,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120809114003-syria-aleppo-5-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A man steps on a carpeted image of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Anadan, northwest of Aleppo, on Wednesday, August 8. The fighting has taken a toll on al-Assad's regime, which has been hit by assassinations and political and military defections.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":127,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120809114028-syria-aleppo-6-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Residents sift through rubble Wednesday searching for bodies under a collapsed house destroyed in an airstrike.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":128,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120809114100-syria-aleppo-7-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian refugees bathe Wednesday at Al Zaatri U.N. camp in the Mafraq, Jordan, near the border with Syria. The recent shelling has led thousands of residents to flee Syria.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":129,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120809114207-syria-aleppo-8-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian refugees cook a meal at Al Zaatari camp in Mafraq, Jordan.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":130,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120805080721-syria-8-5-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian rebel prepares his weapon as a group of Free Syrian Army fighters head toward the fighting with Syrian Army soldiers in the Salah ad-Din neighborhood of central Aleppo on Sunday, August 5.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":131,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120805080554-syria-8-5-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrians evacuate a civilian wounded in shelling in the northern city of Aleppo on Saturday, August 4. Syria's armed forces pounded Aleppo's rebel-held Salah ad-Din district with air and ground fire as violence also raged in the Shaar and Sukkari districts, according to reporters in the area and a rebel commander.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":132,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120805080840-syria-8-5-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A vehicle burns as Syrians walk through debris from clashes between Syrian armed forces and rebels in the northern city of Aleppo on Saturday, August 4.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":133,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120803070027-syria-8-3-a-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A boy plays on the gun of a destroyed Syrian army tank partially covered in the rubble of the destroyed Azaz mosques, north of the restive city of Aleppo, on Thursday, August 2.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":134,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120803070929-syria-8-3-b-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Smoke rises from Al-Safsaf in Homs on Friday, August 3. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":135,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120803071214-syria-8-3-c-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A boy plays with an AK-47 rifle owned by his father in Azaz, some 29 miles north of Aleppo on Friday, August 3. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":136,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120803071857-syria-8-3-d-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrians climb on an abandoned Syrian army tank north of Aleppo on Thursday, August 2.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":137,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120803072118-syria-8-3-e-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A man looks at a destroyed Syrian army compound in Azaz, 29 miles north of Aleppo on Friday, August 3.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":138,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120803072300-syria-8-3-f-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian refugee walks at the Al Zaatri refugee camp in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, on Friday, August 3.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":139,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120801085732-syria-8-1-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
People and a member of the Free Syrian Army commute on Wednesday, August 1, past a building on the outskirts of Idlib that was hit by rocket fire Tuesday night by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Unrest spread across other volatile regions of the country as al-Assad's forces shelled targets and launched raids in and around Damascus, Homs, Daraa and Deir Ezzor.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":140,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120801085945-syria-8-1-4-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A woman and child on Wednesday walk through rubble of a building destroyed by shelling from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":141,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120801090153-syria-8-1-5-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Demonstrators hold an opposition flag during a protest Wednesday against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":142,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120801085434-syria-8-1-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian girls on Wednesday walk past a Syrian army tank captured two days earlier by rebel fighters at a checkpoint in the village of Anadan. The strategic checkpoint secures the rebel fighters free movement between the northern city of Aleppo and Turkey.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":143,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120801085203-syria-8-1-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Rebel Free Syrian Army fighters capture a policeman who they allege is a "Shabiha" or pro-regime militiaman, on Tuesday, July 31, as the rebels overrun a police station in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":144,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120731010649-syria-02-rebels-machine-gun-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Rebel fighters load an anti-aircraft machine gun on an armored vehicle in Atareb, east of Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo, on Tuesday, July 31.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":145,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120731010651-syria-03-boys-running-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian boys run near a building hit by bullets and fire in Atareb. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":146,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120731050834-syria-aleppo-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A member of the Free Syrian Army fires at forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad in a district of Aleppo called Salah Edinne on Tuesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":147,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120731050831-syria-aleppo-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A member of the Free Syrian Army carries an injured civilian to safety in Aleppo's district of Salah Edinne on Tuesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":148,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120731051018-syria-aleppo-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Members of the Free Syrian Army learn that a tank belonging to forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad is heading to the area.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":149,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120731010738-syria-04-bakery-line-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian boy carries bags of bread as people wait outside a bakery near Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":150,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120731010646-syria-01-damage-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A photo released by Syrian Arab News Agency depicts damaged buildings in Homs on Monday, July 30.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":151,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120729040734-syria-a-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army fighter takes position Sunday, July 29, in Aleppo as people flee shelling. Intense clashes have been under way for more than a week between the regime and rebels in Aleppo, Syria's commercial and cultural center. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":152,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120729041154-syria-c-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Parts of Syria's largest city saw the fiercest clashes yet in the country's 16-month crisis on Saturday, July 28. About 200,000 people have fled fighting in Aleppo and surrounding areas in the past two days, a U.N. official says.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":153,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120729041508-syria-d-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Fighting leaves vehicles damaged Saturday in the southwestern city of Daraa.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":154,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120729021453-syria-7-27-02-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrians carry the body of a man allegedly killed in the bombardment of Sukari, southwest of Aleppo, by Syrian regime forces on July 27.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":155,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120729041954-syria-g-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Destruction appears widespread in Homs on Friday, July 27, in a handout photo from the Syrian opposition Shaam News Network.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":156,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120726043730-syria-unrest-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian opposition fighter takes aim during clashes with forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on Wednesday, July 25. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":157,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120726043818-syria-unrest-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Family and friends mourn over the body of Usame Mircan, who they say was killed by a Syrian government sniper in Aleppo on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":158,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120726043846-syria-unrest-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Usame Mircan's mother grieves after he was killed during fighting in Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":159,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120726043916-syria-unrest-4-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
The bodies of men killed during clashes between Syrian rebel fighters and goverment forces lie on the Aleppo street on Thursday, July 26.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":160,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120726044000-syria-unrest-5-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Fighters from the Syrian opposition rest at a former primary school in Aleppo on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":161,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120726044040-syria-unrest-6-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Residents take cover as fighters from the Syrian opposition clash with forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":162,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120726044716-syria-unrest-7-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian rebels guard a checkpoint in Aleppo on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":163,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120726044745-syria-unrest-8-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A damaged portrait of President Bashar al-Assad sits among piles of debris at a checkpoint manned by Syrian rebels in Aleppo on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":164,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120724102004-syria-aleppo-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian rebels drive through Selehattin near Aleppo during clashes with government forces on Monday, July 23.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":165,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120724102141-syria-aleppo-4-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian rebel runs through the streets of Selehattin during an attack on a municipal building. The rebel Free Syrian Army says it is attempting to "liberate" several districts of Aleppo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":166,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120724102032-syria-aleppo-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian rebels work to find snipers during clashes Monday between the opposition and government forces in Selehattin.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":167,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120724102213-syria-aleppo-5-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian rebels make their way down a street Monday in Selehattin near Aleppo. If they gain control of Aleppo, it would mark a pivotal point in the Syrian crisis. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":168,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120724101916-syria-aleppo-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian rebels take cover behind sandbags during fighting Monday at the entrance to the city of Selehattin.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":169,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120723013200-syria-unrest-16-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
On Sunday, July 22, a Syrian refugee looks out from a bus as he arrives at a refugee camp in Turkey opposite the Syrian commercial crossing point Bab al-Hawa.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":170,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120723013205-syria-unrest-17-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian refugees flee from a refugee camp nicknamed "Container City" on the Turkish-Syrian border in Kilis province, southern Turkey, on Sunday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":171,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120723013209-syria-unrest-18-vertical-gallery.jpg)
A mortar shell falls toward the Syrian village of Jbatha Al-khashab, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of Damascus. It's seen from the Israeli side of the border, in the Golan Heights.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":172,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120723013213-syria-unrest-19-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Smoke from artillery shelling rises above Jbatha Al-khashab.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":173,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120723010503-syria-unrest-13-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
An armed Syrian rebel wearing the jersey of FC Barcelona rests with comrades near the northern city of Aleppo on Sunday. The rebel Free Syrian Army announced the start of the battle to "liberate" Aleppo, Syria's commercial hub and a traditional bastion of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":174,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120723010540-syria-unrest-14-vertical-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army soldier rips a portrait of President Bashar al-Assad at the Bab Al-Salam border crossing to Turkey on Sunday. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":175,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120723010544-syria-unrest-15-vertical-gallery.jpg)
Dozens of Turkish truck drivers on Saturday, July 21, accused Free Syrian Army rebels of having burned and looted their lorries as they captured Syria's Bab al-Hawa post, near Aleppo, from government troops.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":176,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120722104150-syria-2-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
In this photo released by the Shaam News Network, a truck burns after shelling in the Erbeen suburb of Damascus on Saturday, July 21.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":177,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120722104101-syria-1-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Refugees fleeing the violence in Syria arrive by bus in Baghdad, Iraq, on Saturday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":178,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120722104317-syria-3-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Turkish soldiers stand guard at the Cilvegozu border gate in Reyhanly that connects to Syria's Bab al-Hawa post. An estimated 120,000 people have fled Syria to Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":179,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120720085533-syria-unrest-05-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Burned-out trucks at the Bab al-Hawa Syrian border post with Turkey on Friday, July 20. Syrian rebels seized control of the post after a fierce battle with Syrian troops, an AFP photographer at the scene reported.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":180,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120720085538-syria-unrest-06-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian soldiers celebrate in the al-Midan area in Damascus on Friday. Syrian regime forces routed rebel fighters from the Damascus neighbourhood of Midan, Syrian state television reported, saying troops had "cleaned" the district of "terrorists."cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":181,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120720085542-syria-unrest-07-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Journalists are shown a dead body on a government tour of the al-Midan area in Damascus on Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":182,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120720085546-syria-unrest-08-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Members of Syria security forces rest in the al-Midan area in Damascus on Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":183,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120720085551-syria-unrest-09-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian army soldiers hang their national flag in a partially destroyed neighborhood in the al-Midan area in Damascus.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":184,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120720085555-syria-unrest-10-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Smoke hangs in the air in a partially destroyed neighborhood in the al-Midan area in Damascus.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":185,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120720085559-syria-unrest-11-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Members of Syria security forces pose for photographers in the al-Midan area in Damascus after driving out the rebel fighters.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":186,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120720085604-syria-unrest-12-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian residents take goods from a truck that rebels captured at the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey on Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":187,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120720022945-syria-al-assad-al-freji-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency on July 19 shows Syrian General Fahd al-Freij meeting with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus after his swearing-in ceremony as defense minister. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":188,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120719084415-syria-unrest-01-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A man holds up a picture of President Bashar al-Assad at a former police station in Atareb after clashes between Syrian soldiers and Free Syrain Army near Aleppo on Thursday, July 19. Rebels seized control of border crossings with Iraq on Thursday, dealing a new blow to al-Assad, as China and Russia dismayed the West by blocking U.N. action against his regime.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":189,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120719084430-syria-unrest-04-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
People walk along the street in Atareb amidst damage caused by clashed between Syrian soldiers and the Free Syrian Army.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":190,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120719084425-syria-unrest-03-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian man checks the former police station of Syrian regime after a clash at Atareb on Thursday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":191,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120719091808-syria-unrest-02-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Smoke ascends from from alleged shelling of the Syrian village of Jebata al-Khashab as seen from the hill village of Buqaata in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on Thursday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":192,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716083055-syria-unrest-07-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
The death toll in Syria on July 12 reached 287, making it the bloodiest day in Syria since the uprising began. As it has done consistently, Syrian state television blamed "armed terrorist groups" for the killings.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":193,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716090305-syria-unrest-16-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian woman sits with her grandson outside a damaged building after attacks in the Syrian village of Treimsa on July 13, 2012. More than 200 people were massacred in the town, according to activists.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":194,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716090813-syria-unrest-17-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian demonstrator holds an opposition flag during a protest in Damascus on July 2, 2012. There have been increasing reports of violence in the Syrian capital.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":195,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716085609-syria-unrest-15-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad waves as he arrives for a speech to Syria's parliament in Damascus on June 3, 2012. The embattled president denied that government forces were behind the "outrageous" massacre in Houla.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":196,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716085041-syria-unrest-13-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
People gather at a mass burial on May 26, 2012 for victims reportedly killed during an artillery barrage from Syrian forces in Houla. The attack left at least 108 people dead, including nearly 50 children, according to the United Nations.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":197,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716085445-syria-unrest-14-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Members of the Free Syrian Army return to Qusayr on May 12, 2012 after an attack on Syrian regime forces in the village of Nizareer, near the Lebanese border in Homs.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":198,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716084714-syria-unrest-12-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A U.N. observer speaks with Syrian rebels and civilians in the village of Azzara on May 4, 2012, days before the country's parlianemtary polls were held against a backdrop of unrest.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":199,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716084436-syria-unrest-11-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Thousands of Syrians wave their national flag and hold portraits of President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, right, during a rally to show support for their leader on March 29, 2012 in Damascus.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":200,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716084302-syria-unrest-10-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian rebel fighters man a checkpoint leading into the town of Taftanaz in the rebel stronghold province of Idlib on March 20, 2012.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":201,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716083805-syria-unrest-09-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Free Syrian Army rebel mounts his steed in the Al-Shatouria village near the Turkish border in northwestern Syria on March 16, 2012, a year after the uprising began. The Free Syrian Army is an armed opposition group made up largely of military defectors.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":202,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716083532-syria-unrest-08-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian refugees walk across a field before crossing into Turkey on March 14, 2012. International mediator Kofi Annan called for an immediate halt to the killing of civilians in Syria as he arrived in Turkey for talks on the crisis.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":203,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716082341-syria-unrest-06-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A day after the twin suicide bombings, Syrian mourners pray over the coffins of the 44 people killed during a mass funeral in Damascus.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":204,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716082111-syria-unrest-05-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
A Syrian man who was wounded in a suicide attack rests at a hospital in Damascus on December 23, 2011. Suicide bombers hit two security service bases in the Syrian capital, killing dozens of people. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":205,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716081725-syria-unrest-04-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Arab foreign ministers attend an emergency meeting at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo on October 16, 2011, to discuss the crisis in Syria.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":206,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716080432-syria-unrest-03-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks to the media in Washington on August 18, 2011. Clinton said U.S. sanctions on Syrian oil "strike at the heart of the Syrian regime."cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":207,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716080702-syria-unrest-02-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrian youths wave national flags while army troops drive out of Daraa on May 5, 2011. During a week-long military lockdown of the town, dozens of people were reportedly killed in what activists described as "indiscriminate" shelling on the city.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":208,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120717013508-syria-unrest-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Syrians in Damascus protest in the street on March 25, 2011, after clashes with government forces in Daraa left several dead.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":209,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120716075428-syria-unrest-01-horizontal-gallery.jpg)
Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rally on April 1 in Istanbul, Turkey, as delegates from dozens of countries gather to push for ways to end the deadly violence in Syria. The United Nations estimates more than 10,000 people have been killed since the beginning of the crisis in March 2011. The conflict is now being labeled a civil war by the International Committee of the Red Cross.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":210,"title":"Showdown in Syria"}HIDE CAPTIONShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in SyriaShowdown in Syria<<<\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120902123849-syria-0902-3-topics.jpg)
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210>>>Event.observe(window,'load',function(){if(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined'){cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image,"Photos: Showdown in Syria");}});STORY HIGHLIGHTSSyria's uprising, which started in early 2011, has turned into a full-fledged civil warThousands of Syrians have been killed, and many more have fled the countryGlobal leaders are calling for President Bashar al-Assad to step downAl-Assad says the rebels are terrorists who want to destabilize the country
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Map: Syria\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120824020853-clancy-syria-aleppo-hospital-00002020-story-body.jpg)
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Syrian first lady quiet as thousands dieA closer look at SyriaLand area: \ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\111028033202-bashar-al-assad-story-body.jpg)
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been in power since 2000, when his father died.When Bashar took office at the age of 34, Western nations had hopes that he might be more moderate than his father, a hard-line Soviet ally. Bashar, young and Western-educated, was at one time studying in London to become an eye doctor.The al-Assad family is Alawite, a Shiite Muslim offshoot that's one of the minorities in a country that is nearly three-quarters Sunni. Bashar has filled key positions in his government with extended family members, and many of his supporters are Alawites and other minorities who fear what might happen if the Sunnis were to gain power.Will Syria's first lady take a stand or stand by her man?Who are the rebels?The opposition has become larger, more organized and better armed since the start of the uprising. Many of the fighters are ex-soldiers who defected from the military, but there are also civilians who have taken up the fight against the al-Assad regime.\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120725122632-pkg-watson-syria-grief-and-pride-00010027-story-body.jpg)
Many rebels are military defectors, but there are civilians fighting as well."I go to war for my family, for my country," said Soukrot Amin, a 23-year-old volunteer in the Free Syrian Army. "Because (al-Assad) has killed everyone. He killed my cousin. He destroyed my village. He destroyed my home."The Free Syrian Army, the primary opposition group, emerged in July 2011, claiming responsibility for an attack on an air intelligence base. It is not the only militia opposing al-Assad, however, and there are questions about how unified the opposition truly is.CNN inside Syria: Faces of the Free Syrian ArmyOverall, the rebels have showed that they can effectively attack the regime. But it has been unable to hold major cities for long, frequently retreating under the pressure of a powerful Syrian military that is better equipped and has airstrike capabilities.Outside interventionThe United States and many of its Western allies have imposed economic sanctions against Syria, condemning al-Assad and demanding that he leave power. But they have not persuaded the U.N. Security Council to do the same. China and Russia -- two of Syria's commercial partners -- have vetoed several proposed resolutions on Syria.var currExpandable="expand130";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}if(typeof currExpandable!='string'){currExpandable='';}var mObj={};mObj.type='flash';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/interactive/2012/03/world/timeline.syria.crisis/timeline.swf';mObj.lgImage="C:\Program Files (x86)\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120726043730-syria-unrest-1.jpg";mObj.lgImageX="640";mObj.lgImageY="436";mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";CNN.expElements.expand130Store=mObj;\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\World Wide News\CNN\120726043730-syria-unrest-1.jpg)
Timeline: From uprising to civil warWithout international consensus, most countries have been hesitant to intervene militarily. Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two Sunni-led countries in the Middle East, are believed to be sending arms to the opposition. But the United States is providing only non-lethal aid and humanitarian assistance.On the other side, Iran is supporting al-Assad and the Syrian regime, as is Lebanon-based Hezbollah, another Shiite ally.What's at stake for Syria's neighborsThe U.N., through former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, proposed a peace plan this year and sent a team of observers into the country to observe a cease-fire that was supposed to go into effect. But violence persisted, the observers were withdrawn, and Annan resigned his post as special envoy.Why Syria mattersOf course, there is the humanitarian crisis, with people dying, starving and in need of aid. The U.N. says the violence has made it difficult for many Syrians to access food, water, electricity and medical supplies, forcing tens of thousands to flee the country.But Syria's key role in the heart of the Middle East means there might also be long-term geopolitical consequences at stake.Many analysts see the conflict as a proxy war between Iran and its Sunni Arab rivals in the region, between Iran and the United States, and even between the United States and Russia -- the latter "about who is going to have more say in the future of the region and on what terms the international community will intervene in conflicts such as Syria," said Nader Mousavizadeh, chief executive of Oxford Analytica.Why Americans should care about SyriaBecause the Syrian regime is Alawite and the majority of the country is Sunni, there is also concern that Syria could devolve, like Iraq once did, into a bloody, sectarian battle that could further destabilize the region.And any time you talk about instability in the Middle East, there are worries about al Qaeda and other hard-line militants filling any power vacuums or failed states.Then there is the Arab-Israeli issue to consider. Syria has been a key Palestinian ally through the years, actively supporting Hamas and Hezbollah while sharing a border with Israel. What will the Syrian outcome mean for Mideast peace?As Henry Kissinger, the former U.S. diplomat, once said, "The Arabs can't make war without Egypt, and they can't make peace without Syria."What more would you like to know about the Syrian conflict? Is there a particular angle you'd like to see covered more on CNN and CNN.com? Let us know in the comments below, and we can look into it.CNN's David Ariosto, Rima Maktabi, Ivan Watson and Fareed Zakaria contributed to this report.
Reading the grim headlines out of Syria, it's easy to forget how we even got to this point. Here's a refresher course to get you up to speed.Playing cat and mouse in AleppoAugust 26, 2012 -- Updated 2100 GMT (0500 HKT)
A CNN team travels with rebels as they are hunted by Syrian regime jets in the Aleppo suburbs.Doctors under siege in AleppoAugust 24, 2012 -- Updated 1439 GMT (2239 HKT)
CNN's Jim Clancy reports on a Syrian hospital struggling to keep the wounded alive. Will Asma al-Assad take a stand?August 22, 2012 -- Updated 1413 GMT (2213 HKT)
Two years ago Syria's glamorous first lady told CNN she would not tolerate a violent regime. Now it seems she is standing by her man.Decoding Obama's 'red line' in SyriaAugust 22, 2012 -- Updated 2326 GMT (0726 HKT)
President Obama has declared the use of chemical weapons in Syria a "red line" - what does that actually mean?Photos: Showdown in SyriaSeptember 2, 2012 -- Updated 1330 GMT (2130 HKT)
The unrest in Syria intensifies over the months.'Nobody imagined this'
CNN's Ben Wedeman raised his family in Aleppo 20 years ago. Now, it's a Syrian war zone. "Nobody imagined it would turn into this."Why is Aleppo important?July 26, 2012 -- Updated 0948 GMT (1748 HKT)
Video: CNN's Hala Gorani with a look at why the Syrian city of Aleppo is of strategic importance to rebels.Syria: From uprising to civil war-- Updated GMT ( HKT)
Check out the key events since the uprising began in early 2011.Share your story on iReport
Are you in Syria? Share your stories, videos and photos with the world on CNN iReport..cnn_strycrcntrnwsp .cnn_mtpmore { padding:10px 0px 1px 0px; }.cnn_stryccnwsp2 .cnn_stryccnwsp3 { width:100% }Most PopularToday's five most popular storiesMichael Clarke Duncan, Academy Award nominee for 'Green Mile,' dead at 54Bahrain court upholds verdicts against group accused of coup attemptMore than 103,400 refugees flee Syria in a month as humanitarian crisis worsensTrial of a priest and a teacher accused in boy's rape set to begin in PhiladelphiaCan Bruce Willis leave his iTunes music to his kids?