Syrians marked the second anniversary of the revolt against President Bashar Assad on Friday, with small protests and vigils inside the war-shattered country and abroad. Since the heady, early days of their uprising, many Syrians opposed to the regime have descended into despair: The civil war has killed an estimated 70,000 people, displaced more than four million and turned neighbor against neighbor.

The country, with a prewar population of 22 million, is now carved up into areas controlled by the regime and others held by rebels. Months of heavy street fighting and aerial bombardment has left entire neighborhoods in ruins.

As the war enters its third year, many Syrians feel a sense of abandonment. Others in the rebel movement think momentum is on their side, believing they're able to declare victory within few months.

Here's a gallery of photos looking back at the conflict in Syria.

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