Photos give a rare glimpse of daily life during Syria's civil war

In rebel-heldDouma,airstrikesa fact of life.

While the attacks in Paris galvanized international efforts against ISIS, Syria's civil war continues into its fifth year. For the residents of the rebel-held town of Douma, about10 kilometres northeast of the capitalDamascus, life goes on as best it can.

Here, aboywounded in what activists inDoumasaywas anairstrikecarried outby forces loyal to Syria's PresidentBasharal-Assadwaitsfor treatment at amakeshift hospitalon Nov.18.

On the ground, no sign of ceasefire.

Despite continuingtalkof aceasefireamongthe fractured rebel groups in Syriaand government forces a ceasefirecould be just weeks away, according toU.S. Secretary of State JohnKerry, who has been leading the peace talks sources in Damascus reportairstrikes like this one, on Nov.7, are commonplace.

Women, children hit hardest.

During a meeting of the UN Security Council on Nov.16, senior officials highlighted the effects of the conflict on civilians,especially women and children. The UN estimates that 250,000 people have died in four years of fighting in Syria.

The UN, in a statement posted online on Nov.16,saidthe Syrian civil war is behind the world's largest humanitarian crisis of the century, with an estimated 13.5 million people in the country in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. The figure includessix million children.

A dangerous selfie.

Douma has been subjected to a number of airstrikes reportedly carried out by forces working with the Assad regime, leaving much of the area in ruins.

The UN reports that last month the agencyand its partnersdelivered food aid and drinking waterto more than four million people in Syria.