Syria in crisis

This citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network, taken on July 22, 2012, purports to show Syrians chanting slogans during a demonstration in the northern town of Sarmada, in Idlib province, Syria. The Syrian regime threatened on July 23, 2012, to use its chemical and biological weapons in case of a foreign attack, its first ever acknowledgement that it possesses weapons of mass destruction.

In this citizen journalism image taken on July 16, 2012, and provided by Edlib News Network, a Syrian girl holds a poster with Arabic that reads, "greetings from Kfarnebel's children to the Free Syrian Army soldiers in Damascus," during a demonstration in Kfarnebel, Idlib province, northern Syria. Syrian rebels have launched an offensive to "liberate" the country's largest city of Aleppo, an opposition commander said, while in Damascus government troops backed by helicopter gunships wrested back control of rebel-held neighborhoods.

This citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network, taken on July 23, 2012, purports to show the destruction from fighting in the Mazza district of Damascus, Syria.

This July 21, 2012, image made from amateur video released by the Ugarit News, purports to show Syrian Brig. Gen. Abdul-Nasser Farzat, from the Aleppo Academy for Military Engineering, who claimed in another video to have defected to the Free Syrian Army, as he directs a message to Russia in Aleppo, Syria.

This July 20, 2012, image made from amateur video released by the Ugarit News purports to show Syrians attempting to destroy a statue of former Syrian president Hafez Assad in the al-Shahbaa district of Aleppo, Syria.

AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP Video

This image made from amateur video released by Shaam News Network and accessed by the Associated Press purports to show damage by shelling in Homs, Syria, by government forces on July 21, 2012.

This July 20, 2012, image made from amateur video released by the Ugarit News purports to show a member of the Free Syrian Army walking on a portrait of Syrian President Bashar Assad inside a seized government commando post in the Al-Mazza district of Damascus, Syria.

This July 20, 2012, image made from amateur video released by the Ugarit News purports to show a Syrian attempting to destroy a statue of former Syrian President Hafez Assad in the al-Shahbaa district of Aleppo.

A Syrian family carry their belongings as they cross through the Masnaa border point into the Lebanese town of Majdal Anjar, Lebanon, July 23, 2012.

A Syrian refugee passes a playground at the Jordanian-run Al Bashabsheh refugee camp in Ramtha, Jordan, July 17, 2012.

This citizen journalist image shows a dead body lying in the street in the Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees in south Damascus, Syria, July 21, 2012. Fierce fighting between troops and rebels reached the Syrian capital, the central bastion of Bashar Assad's rule, shattering parts of the city and sending thousands of people fleeing to neighboring Lebanon and Iraq.

This July 20, 2012, image made from amateur video released by the Ugarit News purports to show the removal of a portrait of Hafez al-Assad by members of the Free Syrian Army after they seized a government commando post in the Al-Mazza district of Damascus, Syria.

This citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network, taken on July 23, 2012, purports to show damage from heavy shelling of the al-Qadam district of Damascus, Syria.

This citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network, taken on July 24, 2012, purports to show a helicopter gunship flying a bombing run in al-Qalmoun, Syria.

This citizen journalist image shows a man on a bicycle surveying a street damaged by tank treads after fighting between rebels and Syrian troops in the Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees in south Damascus, Syria, July 21, 2012.

This July 21, 2012, image made from amateur video released by Shaam News Network purports to show Syrian Abd el Fatah Zurikat, killed by sniper fire, mourned by family members in Daraa, Syria.

This citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network, taken on July 22, 2012, purports to show a fireball in Homs, Syria.

This image made from amateur video released by Shaam News Network July 21, 2012, purports to show the spread of fires as a result of the shelling of Homs, Syria, by government forces.

This citizen journalist image shows a destroyed car on a street damaged by tank treads after fighting between rebels and Syrian troops in the Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees in south Damascus, Syria, July 21, 2012.

This image made from amateur video released by Shaam News Network July 21, 2012, purports to show shelling of Homs, Syria, by government forces.

This image made from amateur video released by Shaam News Network on July 21, 2012, purports to show the spread of fires as a result of the shelling of Homs, Syria by government forces.

This citizen journalist image shows Syrians walking past destroyed vehicles after fighting between rebels and Syrian troops in the Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees in south Damascus, Syria, July 21, 2012.

In this July 11, 2012, photo, Syrian refugee girls leave their trailer home at King Abdulllah gardens refugee camp in Ramtha, Jordan. Jordan's King Abdullah II has announced that security along the country's northern frontier has been tightened, but Syrian refugees fleeing violence will still be allowed to enter.

A Syrian woman sits with her children outside the Lebanese immigration office at the Masnaa border post, shortly after crossing from Syria to Majdal Anjar, July 23, 2012.

Iraqi refugees come down from a plane as they arrive at Baghdad airport in Iraq, July 22, 2012. Iraq flew hundreds of its citizens out of Damascus to escape the civil war in Syria.

This citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network, taken on July 22, 2012, purports to show Free Syrian Army soldiers during a demonstration in the northern town of Sarmada, in Idlib province, Syria.

This citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network, taken on July 23, 2012, purports to show heavy shelling of the al-Qadam district of Damascus, Syria.

A Syrian refugee who identified herself as Um Ali sits with her children inside a government school in Marj, Lebanon, July 23, 2012.

Israeli army armored vehicles drive along the border between Israel and Syria near the Druze village of Buqata in the Golan Heights, July 23, 2012.

A Syrian woman who recently fled her country sits with her daughter inside a government school in Marj, Lebanon, July 23, 2012.

This citizen journalist image shot through a broken car window shows smoke billowing from a building after fighting between rebels and Syrian troops in the Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees in south Damascus, Syria, July 21, 2012.

A sign showing the distances to different locations is seen at an army post from the 1967 war at Mt. Bental in the Golan Heights, overlooking Syria, July 23, 2012.

Iraqi refugees come down from a plane as they arrive at Baghdad airport in Iraq, July 22, 2012. Iraq flew hundreds of its citizens out of Damascus to escape the civil war in Syria.

U.N. soldiers observe from an old army post from the 1967 war at Mt. Bental in the Golan Heights, overlooking Syria, July 23, 2012.

Iraqi refugees who have just returned from Syria wait for security check at Baghdad airport in Iraq, July 22, 2012. Iraq flew hundreds of its citizens out of Damascus to escape the civil war in Syria.

In this combo citizen journalism image made of six photos taken on July 16, 2012, Syrian girls attend a demonstration in Kfarnebel, Idlib province, northern Syria. Arabic writing on their foreheads, from top left to bottom right reads, "Latakia, greetings, freedom Homs, Syrian blood, down, Midan neighborhood."

This citizen journalism image provided by Ugarit News, taken on July 23, 2012, purports to show damage from heavy shelling of the al-Qadam district of Damascus, Syria.

In this July 24, 2012, photo, a Syrian boy sits atop a damaged military tank at the border town of Azaz, some 20 miles north of Aleppo, Syria. Turkey sealed its border with Syria to trucks on July 25, 2012, cutting off a vital supply line to the embattled nation as fighting stretched into its fifth day in the commercial capital of Aleppo.

In this July 24, 2012 photo, a damaged Syrian military tank is seen at the border town of Azaz, some 20 miles north of Aleppo, Syria.

In this July 24, 2012 photo, a damaged vehicle from clashes between Free Syrian Army soldiers and Syrian government troops is seen at the border town of Azaz, some 20 miles north of Aleppo, Syria.

In this July 24, 2012 photo, Free Syrian Army soldiers are seen at the border town of Azaz, some 20 miles north of Aleppo, Syria.

In this July 24, 2012 photo, a Free Syrian Army soldier steps on a carpet with the photo of Syrian President Bashar Assad at the border town of Azaz, some 20 miles north of Aleppo, Syria. Turkey sealed its border with Syria to trucks on July 25, cutting off a vital supply line to the embattled nation as fighting stretched into its fifth day in the commercial capital of Aleppo.

Iraqi refugees who have just returned from Syria at al-Walid border crossing, west of Baghdad, Iraq, July 21, 2012. Rebels also took over the Syrian side of the border crossing at the Iraqi town of Rabiya, 320 miles northwest of Baghdad, according to Atheel al-Nujaifi, the governor of Iraq's Ninevah province.

Iraqi refugees who have just returned from Syria at al-Walid border crossing, west of Baghdad, Iraq, July 21, 2012.

Iraqi refugees who have just returned from Syria unload their luggage from a bus at al-Walid border crossing, west of Baghdad, Iraq, July 21, 2012.

Iraqi refugees who have just returned from Syria wait for security check at Baghdad airport in Iraq, July 22, 2012. Iraq flew hundreds of its citizens out of Damascus to escape the civil war in Syria.

Iraqi refugees board a plane at Damascus airport in Syria, July 22, 2012. Iraq flew hundreds of its citizens out of Damascus to escape the civil war in Syria.