Rebel fighters who took control of Aleppo about two weeks ago have promised security and continuity. Prices have skyrocketed, but residents express some hope for the future.

After four years of relative calm, a new phase of the civil war has begun in Syria. Opposition forces launched a major offensive on the second-largest city, Aleppo, catching the regime of Bashar al-Assad unprepared.

Insurgents breached Syria’s largest city Friday and clashed with government forces for the first time since 2016, according to a war monitor and fighters, in a surprise attack that sent residents fleeing and added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling from multiple wars.