-- AFP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2015 -- Syrians are seen inside a cage in Douma, the largest opposition stronghold on the outskirts of Damascus, on October 31, 2015, as it has been reported that a major Syrian rebel group is using dozens of captives in metal cages as "human shields". Jaish al-Islam, regarded as the most powerful rebel group near the capital, has put regime soldiers and Alawite civilians it was holding in metal cages, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP. AFP PHOTO / AHMAD AL-FAROQ