A torn portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is pictured on a main road in the district of Khan al-Assal which was taken over by Jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies in the latest battles with government forces in the northern Syrian province, on November 29, 2024. The fighters launched this week a shock offensive against Syrian government troops and sparked the deadliest battle the country has seen in years, with the violence killing so far 242 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The war monitor said most of the victims were combatants on both sides but also including civilians. (Photo by Aaref WATAD / AFP)