Homs ravaged by destruction, leaving some areas uninhabitable

Huge numbers of buildings were destroyed during the war as Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad's forces deliberately destroyed buildings and sold their iron bars.

Homs has been the centre of the Syrian revolution since its beginning. Several neighbourhoods have been under siege and heavy bombardment for years

Homs, Syria's third-largest city, is also one of its most strategic, serving as a vital hub for energy resources.