NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports from war-torn Homs showing how parts of the city have been ravaged by fighting while others have been spared.
HOMS, Syria -- Fighting has ravaged Syria over the past 14 months, as evidenced in parts of the Homs neighborhood of Baba Amr. Nearly destroyed, hollow buildings stand on the side of roads seldom traveled by either cars or people. Once a stronghold of the opposition, the city now sits firmly under the control of the Syrian military.

Ayman Mohyeldin, NBC News
A child rides his bike across the bombed-out main street of Baba Amr. Once the stronghold of the opposition, it's now firmly in the hands of the military and the neighborhood is nearly empty as residents have fled to nearby areas. You can still see the damaged buildings and the mosque along the main street.
A fragile truce brokered by international mediator Kofi Annan has failed to stop the violence, which has killed more than 9,000, according to U.N. figures. It has also caused a refugee crisis in the region.

Ayman Mohyeldin, NBC News
One of Syria's Olympic athletes, Raya, trains at a shooting range ahead of the upcoming Summer Games in London. Some have called on the IOC to ban Syrian athletes from participating in the Games, while others have defended the right of athletes to not be punished for their government's actions.
Just a few hundred yards away from Baba Amr, the neighborhood of Akrema is bustling with activity, as people wander through busy streets and markets. But concern is at an all-time high here, as many people fear a regime change would be dangerous for them.
A roadside bomb exploded in Douma, Syria this weekend near a United Nations convoy carrying the head of a Syria ceasefire monitoring mission and a senior U.N. Official. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.

Ayman Mohyeldin, NBC News
A U.N. vehicle attempting to enter the opposition-held area of Tel Kelakh was swarmed by government supporters who marked the vehicles with pro-Assad slogans. The U.N. observer mission turned back and did not enter the city.

A resident of Khalidiya shows the wounds he suffered after he was attacked by pro-government thugs, known locally as the as the "Shabeeha" -- which means "Ghosts".
See more images from inside Syria, taken by NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin (Editor's note: Some of these images are graphic in nature):
Related: Slideshow: A glimpse inside Syria (by Ayman Mohyeldin)
Related content:
- Inside Syria rebel stronghold: 'The city is on mute'
- NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin answers Syria questions
- Report: Syria rebels get better weapons as US quietly boosts support
More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- 'Nearly empty': A rare glimpse inside Syria rebel stronghold
- Terror suspect's eye color? UK's flying cameras know
- Analysis: How Egypt's election can transform the Middle East
- Portraits of a queen: When the monarch becomes the subject
- Tokyo Sky Tree takes root as world's second-tallest structure
- Robotic 'fish' takes to seas to catch pollution sooner
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world


A U.N. vehicle attempting to enter the opposition-held area of Tel Kelakh was swarmed by government supporters who marked the vehicles with pro-Assad slogans. The U.N. observer mission turned back and did not enter the city.
After war they would have lack of matherials in common and Metal in plural.
<a href="">Metalocherepitsa</a>
Like a torch riding off into the distance with a horse and his rider, the truth is getting harder and harder to see.
Open your mind, and put the puzzle together.
Syrian rebels are helped by Sunni Saudi militant groups like al-Qaeda, Muslim Brotherhood and other agents on sale.
These Sunni Islamic religious Nazis can't even tolerate one of the best ME rulers, Assad just because he belongs to a different Muslim sect!
Compare Assad with highly autocratic, despotic, corrupt, seventh century desert mindset barbaric and bigoted Saudi ruler with 5000 princes and princesses, Kuwaiti ruler, UAE's and others!
Oil monies and lobbyists are screaming loud in Syria and Iran!
In Bahrain, these very gangsters silenced Shiites opposition!
Are the troubles in Syria more than Yemen where one suicide bomber blew up more than 90 soldiers and injured 200 plus?
Assad's father took more than five years to put down Sunni barbarians rebellions!
Just wait and watch for troubles right in Saudi Arabia.
These "rebels" that the Obama administration and some other western nations are so quick to support are nothing more than Islamic fanatics who want power for themselves. The last thing on their mind is turning Syria into a free democratic state. They want to get rid of Assad, who is for the most part a secular ruler, so that they can replace his government with an Islamic republic. Most of the trouble in Syria is being instigated by outside agitators who are carrying out many of the attacks themselves and trying to stir up the locals against Assad with their propaganda. Instead of supporting these "rebels" the administration should be helping Assad to keep these outside agitators out of the country. As bad as Assad is, he is still a better option than letting any of the "rebel" factions get control. These so called rebels are nothing more than different Islamic sects who want power for themselves. Assad is a fairly secular ruler and allow people in Syria to pretty much worship as they choose. The same will not be true if any of these other "rebel" sects get control. The reality is that much of the unrest in Syria is being caused by outside agitators who are stirring up the Syrian people in order to achieve their own ends. Those ends are the rise to power of their particular sect and the implementation of an Islamic Republic form of government under their view of Islam. I just hope that the Obama administration and the rest of the western nations wake up and realize what is really going on before they do something stupid and hand Syria over to these fanatics. The best bet for Syria is not to see a complete fall of the Assad regime but for there to be an orderly transfer of power to someone else who shares Assad's secular leanings and will institute social reforms to improve people's lives. Having an open election where the Islamists can manipulate the people and the elections in order to gain control the way they are doing in Egypt would not be a good thing.
sending Gadhafi like bogus messages as if the freedom seekers are evil. NO!! the evil ones are those in power willing to kill majority of citizens in their self serving glory that will fail miserably. It will fail, b/c torturing and burning freedom seekers and children is counter productive as Assad loses more and more support within his citizens as more and more curse him
Jonathan. Based on your post I'm guessing that you are conservative. That being said I find it interesting how you conservatives can back other governments but your own government right here in the U.S.A. My point is that you tend to back other governments for hurting their own people while at the same time you despise the U.S. government for trying to help its people. Makes no sense at all.
1. No meddling in Shiites vs Sunnis battles. Let the enemies battle it out!
2. We will not do dirty jobs for Sunnis as in Iraqi wars. See the damages US and Europe had in all spheres.
3. Strengthen economy and try to reduce debts. This should be first focus. Inside first outside last!
4. No sanctions on Iranian oil to reduce impact of high oil prices on our, British and European economies.
5. Islamic religious extremism, especially Sunni Saudis have gone beyond point of return. Such Frankenstein monsters eat away their creators. You are seeing it in Pakistan and it will be visible in Saudi Arabia. History has shown it!
6. US has maintained Pakistan on map. How long can the US keep Pakistan on map? Same is true of Saudi Arabia.
If this is acceptable behavior for the neighboring Muslim countries, then so be it.
SPIRIT44 jONATHAN telling the truth , and this reporter , is the biggest liar , Because he reporting from Cairo Egypt , and he was telling all kinds of lies , Just like our own Anderson Cooper was and still , these thugs are nothing but Alqaeda left over from the war in Libya,Iraq and now Tunisia and Yemen , its strange that we kill them there , and Hillary and McCain want to arm the rebels . and off course with the help of Aqaeda godfathers the Saudis and Qataris . What does it take for you all to believe that Alqaeda in Syria , Our Intel. told us , Our Generals told us , ALQAEDA TOLD US , But you all still live in denial . OR SOME OF YOU WANT TO HELP THEM SO THEY CAN GET RID OF ASSAD , Sorry he is a Christians supporter , and that's not good with Israel and the Wahhabi no good gulf states .
my turn: Situations are worse in Bahrain. But how many are reporting from there!
Monies and oil speak; in many cases they make one to close one eye and look at other places; and in some cases, only they matter and humans are on sale as in departmental stores!
Iraqi wars' dramas before, during and after were the worst world has seen till then!
The Syrian government represents a mentality that has taken over the Islamic world for 14 centuries - My hope is that the world is beginning to see the end tyranny in Muslim countries!?
There's a clearly documented global history about what occurs when religions are driven by politics, rather than faith!! Self-anointed clerics have no business controlling the affairs of the common masses! What the world is witnessing in places like Iran, happened in Rome and other places throughout human history! Is it any wonder why most people in the civilized world, are deathly against the protocols of "organized religion!!"
Just speakin' what everyone is thinkin'
These guys are just like our inner city gangs. They kill each other and everyone on the outside has to act like they care. We don't.
I would send each side as many arms as they want and let them thin themselves out ... Oh yeah, I'd send some arms to Syria too for the same purpose.
Yea alur . That's what's wrong now e keep arming the wrong people and then it comes back to bite us in th Butttt.
Assad can not quit or he is dead in a horriable way. The Alwaities (sp?), Christians and all non Muslim minorities need to back Assad or be slaughtered (sp?) as well. There is no peaceful settlement. The civil war has started and will end when one side kills enough of the other side to have a surrender. The US needs to stay the hay out of this event.
Assad like his father before him, slaughters thousands upon thousands in vain to keep the population oppressed. Arab Spring freedom seekers will win in the end but at what price. Arab Spring is born as population in the middle east see (thanks to the internet and cell phones) the freedom that other populations in other countries that themselves don't enjoy, and they want this freedom too. Assad will either be hanged, or killed, or rot in a ICC prison for genocide
I just hope this tribal violence continues to spread throughout that region. When the followers of islam are busy killing each other, they don't have the time to look for Americans to kill
The press is reporting that the Israelis are attempting to obstruct justice and destroy evidence of their war crimes, by preventing the prosecution of Israelis for their crimes, and by masking the identity of Israeli soldiers in press video and photographs in Israel. Those bodies pursuing justice for the victims of Israeli war crimes should also prosecute the guilty Israeli officials for obstructing justice and destroying evidence.
there is no Israel war crime, you are speaking a myth that jew haters spread to others in vain to get others to hate the jews. Truth is that hamas trains and teach their children to become suicide bombers, in vain to killl innocent people including children that has nothing to do with the conflict, that is the trurth, and Israel military response to daily rocket attacks by hamas militants is not a war crime. But hamas are cowards for not fighting the Israel's military and killing innocent by-standers instead, along with training their children to kill themselves, not that is what is "real sick"
Blaming Isreal is not going to solve the abhorent violence of Islam against itself. Open your shuttered mind and read the article. This is a story of War-torn Syria... torn apart by its own inhabitants. There is no enemy but the one within, my brother.
Destiny in its roll While disaster takes control The wicked at the aftermath Observe the light, construct the path
There's a fire starting in my heart,Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark,Finally, I can see you crystal clear, Go ahead and sell me out and a I'll lay your @!$%# bare, See how I'll leave with every piece of you,
Don't underestimate the things that I will do, There's a fire starting in my heart, Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark
Let 'em slug it out like a couple of boxers. There will be decades of exhausted peace because there will be streets lined with dead today. Just contain the mess like we (the civilized world) have been for about 4 years. I do say civilized with purpose behind the meaning.