Civil war leaves Syrian economy, cities in ruins

Aside from the human tragedy of the many lives lost in Syria’s civil war — activists estimate the death toll has now passed 32,000 killed — there is the staggering damage to the country’s infrastructure, economy and cultural treasures.

Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi said last week that the economic losses from the ongoing conflict have cost the country about $34 billion, with the figure rising daily, while the opposition estimates the loss at about $100 billion. …

Although there are some pockets of Syria that have been relatively shielded from the conflict, the destruction in most of the country’s major cities is staggering. Experts warn that whenever the civil war ends, it will take a monumental international effort, and perhaps a generation of Syrians, to rebuild what has been broken.