A picture taken on December 5, 2016 shows destroyed buildings in Aleppo's eastern Karm al-Jabal neighbourhood as Syrian pro-government troops advance towards al-Shaar district during their offensive to retake Syria's second city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the advances of the Syrian and allied forces left the large Shaar neighbourhood encircled by government forces and in danger of falling from rebel control. With the capture of Shaar, the army would hold 70 percent of east Aleppo, four years after rebels first seized it. / AFP PHOTO / GEORGE OURFALIAN