![Men inspect damage after an airstrike on Aleppo's rebel held al-Hallak neighbourhood, Syria June 2, 2016. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail - RTX2FEO4](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/06/RTX2FEO4.jpg/RTX2FEO4.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=E2fO0e0_)
Mohammed al-Khatieb is a Syrian freelance journalist based in Aleppo. On Twitter: @MohAlkhatieb
![Men inspect damage after an airstrike on Aleppo's rebel held al-Hallak neighbourhood, Syria June 2, 2016. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail - RTX2FEO4](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/06/RTX2FEO4.jpg/RTX2FEO4.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=E2fO0e0_)
![Syrians carry their belongings at the Syrian border crossing of Bab al-Hawa on the Syrian-Turkish border in Idlib Governorate January 21, 2015. REUTERS/Abed Kontar (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) - RTR4MD2K](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/05/RTR4MD2K.jpg/RTR4MD2K.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=GPm2Lf5b)
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Mohammed al-Khatieb
![verify.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/05/verify.jpg/verify.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=uQg8lwj-)
![Mohammed al-Khatieb](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2019/mokhatieb.jpg/mokhatieb.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=D02getGc)
Mohammed al-Khatieb
![RTX29P6K.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/04/RTX29P6K.jpg/RTX29P6K.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=_wZu3_xJ)
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Mohammed al-Khatieb
![Children play near a bus barricading a street, which serves as protection from snipers loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, in Aleppo's rebel-controlled Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, Syria April 6, 2016. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail - RTSDWK5](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/04/RTSDWK5.jpg/RTSDWK5.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=R87FbMhA)
![Mohammed al-Khatieb](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2019/mokhatieb.jpg/mokhatieb.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=D02getGc)
Mohammed al-Khatieb
![Protestors carry Free Syrian Army flags and chant slogans during an anti-government protest in the town of Marat Numan in Idlib province, Syria March 4, 2016. The text on the banners read in Arabic "Together we renew our pledge of allegiance, curse your soul Hafez" (top R), "Wherever you head to, we will go to the squares and the fronts" (top C) and "Before the people, you have no choice but to leave" (top L). REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RTS9AYC](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/03/RTS9AYC.jpg/RTS9AYC.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=VtUGmjwT)
![Mohammed al-Khatieb](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2019/mokhatieb.jpg/mokhatieb.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=D02getGc)
Mohammed al-Khatieb
![aleppo.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/02/aleppo.jpg/aleppo.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=TXChdjcc)
![Mohammed al-Khatieb](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2019/mokhatieb.jpg/mokhatieb.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=D02getGc)
Mohammed al-Khatieb
![RTX25GU1.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/02/RTX25GU1.jpg/RTX25GU1.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=TYzgYsyx)
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Mohammed al-Khatieb
![syria_school.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/02/syria_school.jpg/syria_school.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=f2q3x2gH)
![Mohammed al-Khatieb](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2019/mokhatieb.jpg/mokhatieb.jpg?h=55541bb6&itok=D02getGc)
Mohammed al-Khatieb
![RTX21XQQ.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/01/RTX21XQQ.jpg/RTX21XQQ.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=xmNkJ8uc)
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Mohammed al-Khatieb
![Rebel fighters hold their weapons as they take their positions on which forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad are carrying out offensives to take control of the town of Kafr Nabudah in Hama province, Syria October 11, 2015. The Syrian army backed by allied militia has advanced in western Syria after heavy Russian air strikes in areas around the main highway running through major cities, a group monitoring the war said on Sunday. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah - RTS7DAC](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2015/11/RTS7DAC.jpg/RTS7DAC.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=J-LjMDeR)
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Mohammed al-Khatieb
![RTX1GWBT.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2015/10/RTX1GWBT.jpg/RTX1GWBT.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=IG7E02DO)
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Mohammed al-Khatieb