March 15, 2016 marks the fifth anniversary of the Syrian Civil War. In 2011, peaceful demonstrations against the regime in Syria quickly escaleted into a violent government crackdown and civil war. The war in Syria has killed hundreds of thousands of civilians, bombings have left cities in ruins, and basic needs like food and health care have become hard to access. 

As a result of the conflict in Syria, the world is facing the worst refugee crisis since World War II. Since 2011, the conflict has displaced almost 12 million people, or half the Syrian population, including the 6.6 million displaced inside Syria. 

Here are 23 images that show the impact the war has had on Syria and the millions of people who have been displaced by the conflict.

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Posted by Greenpeace International on Monday, 14 December 2015

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A photo posted by Matic (@maticzorman) on

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Tough winter weather is exacerbating already dire living conditions for refugees and migrants living in the Calais “...

Posted by UNHCR on Friday, 5 February 2016

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A heartwarming Sunday for Hala, her husband Mohammed and their children. They've just reunited with their relatives, on...

Posted by UNHCR on Sunday, 20 September 2015

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These images provide small snapshots of the devastating and complicated crisis that is taking place in Syria. The more people know about the crisis, the more we can do together to support those who are most in need. While many factors have contributed to the scale and size of the current Syrian crisis, one fact is simple: millions of refugees and displaced Syrians need our help. 

TopicsCitizenshipGlobalsyriaSyrian WarSyrian refugee crisis5th anniversary Syrian conflict

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