Men just released from prison dance at the entrance of Aleppo city, on December 9, 2024, as people wait for the return of relatives after the release of detainees from Syrian government prisons following the ousting of Syria's president. While Syria has been at war for over 13 years, the government's collapse ended up coming in a matter of days, with a lightning offensive launched by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). (Photo by MUHAMMAD HAJ KADOUR / AFP)