The warring factions battle it out in ancient towns like Baghdad, Damascus, Palmyra and Aleppo. These are cities that are among the oldest inhabited sites on earth, and they are being reduced to rubble in our time. What must life be like for people in these places who have families and dreams? Who are they, and why do they want to leave? These were some questions on my mind. The incidents of terrorism in Europe and the US are horrific, but in comparison we live in a paradise interrupted by the rare nightmare. What is it like to live in a nightmare from which you can't wake up?

The Golden City of Aleppo