A member of Kurdish People's Protection Units guards a point from attacks of al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Khirbet Al-Banat village
A member of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) guards a point from attacks from the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Khirbet Al-Banat village, Ras Al-Ain countryside, December 24, 2013. Picture taken December 24, 2013. REUTERS/Rodi Said (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)
Be peacemakers all, Pope says in first Christmas message
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People inspect a damaged site after what activists said was an air raid by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, in Aleppo's district of Al Sukari
People inspect a damaged site after what activists said was an air raid by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, in Aleppo's district of Al Sukari December 24, 2013. More than 300 people have been killed in a week of air raids on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo and nearby towns by President Bashar al-Assad's forces, a monitoring group said on Monday. Many of the casualties, which included scores of women and children, were killed by so-called barrel bombs dropped from helicopters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST)
A woman reacts near a damaged site after what activists said was an air raid by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, in Aleppo's district of Al Sukari
A woman reacts near a damaged site after what activists said was an air raid by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, in Aleppo's district of Al Sukari December 24, 2013. More than 300 people have been killed in a week of air raids on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo and nearby towns by President Bashar al-Assad's forces, a monitoring group said on Monday. Many of the casualties, which included scores of women and children, were killed by so-called barrel bombs dropped from helicopters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST)
People run near a damaged site after what activists said was an air raid by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, in Aleppo's district of Al Sukari
People run near a damaged site after what activists said was an air raid by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, in Aleppo's district of Al Sukari December 24, 2013. More than 300 people have been killed in a week of air raids on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo and nearby towns by President Bashar al-Assad's forces, a monitoring group said on Monday. Many of the casualties, which included scores of women and children, were killed by so-called barrel bombs dropped from helicopters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST)
People stand as smoke rises near a damaged site after what activists said was an air raid by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, in Aleppo's district of Al Sukari
People stand as smoke rises near a damaged site after what activists said was an air raid by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, in Aleppo's district of Al Sukari December 24, 2013. More than 300 people have been killed in a week of air raids on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo and nearby towns by President Bashar al-Assad's forces, a monitoring group said on Monday. Many of the casualties, which included scores of women and children, were killed by so-called barrel bombs dropped from helicopters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST)
People pass the time along a damaged street in the Harasta area of eastern al-Ghouta, near Damascus
People pass the time along a damaged street in the Harasta area of eastern al-Ghouta, near Damascus December 24, 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (SYRIA - Tags: CONFLICT CIVIL UNREST)
Men run to avoid snipers in the Harasta area of eastern al-Ghouta, near Damascus
Men run to avoid snipers in the Harasta area of eastern al-Ghouta, near Damascus December 24, 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (SYRIA - Tags: CONFLICT CIVIL UNREST)
Men walk in front of a pile of debris in the Harasta area of eastern al-Ghouta, near Damascus
Men walk in front of a pile of debris in the Harasta area of eastern al-Ghouta, near Damascus December 24, 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (SYRIA - Tags: CONFLICT CIVIL UNREST)
Man with a weapon slung behind him walks along a damaged street in the Harasta area of eastern al-Ghouta, near Damascus
A man with a weapon slung behind him walks along a damaged street in the Harasta area of eastern al-Ghouta, near Damascus December 24, 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh (SYRIA - Tags: CONFLICT CIVIL UNREST)