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.

At a church in Syria's Aleppo, Christian worshippers attended mass days after their city came under the control of Islamist-led rebel forces who have sought to allay residents' concerns over their nascent rule.