The battle of Aleppo is slowly drawing to a close after almost four and a half years of brutal fighting. A ceasefire agreement was recently reached allowing people to leave besieged areas of the city and travel to rebel-held areas in Idlib province, and pro-government forces, who have taken nearly all rebel-held districts in the city, are in the process of evacuating civilians and rebel fighters.

Over 30,000 people are reported to have died since fighting began in 2012, and another 20,000 are thought to have been displaced from Syria's biggest city. Once a popular tourist destination, and famed for its spectacular white marble, Aleppo now lies in ruins. Much of the city's ancient heritage has been damaged, including the Great Mosque, which was built in the 8th century, and the citadel of Aleppo, considered to be one of the largest and oldest castles in the world. The battle might be coming to an end, but some of the damage will never be mended. Take a look at some of these heartbreaking before and after pictures to see the scale of devastation for yourself.