*Note- This was written on December 14th and will be published December 19th, information presented in this article may have changed.*

Some background on what's going on in Aleppo:

Aleppo has been caught in the middle of the fighting in Syria since the beginning. It has been the pro-government side, aided by Russia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Pakistan versus the rebel side, aided by the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The rebels have remained in control of the city for a while but have been losing ground for most of 2016 and BBC News reported that the Syrian government forces have taken as much of 90% of rebel-held area as of December 13th. The Syrian government already has hold of at least 3 other major cities and they're hoping that gaining control of Aleppo will help bring an end to the war.

Why you should care:

The War has been happening in Syria for years now and it's hard to feel connected to another country that has been presented in such a negative tone for so many years. When many American citizens hear the word "Syria", they think of fighting, violence, or terrorism, but there is so much more to it than that. With every war, there are citizens who did not choose to fight, whose lives are being affected each and every day. I've written about the Syrian Refugee Crisis before but now more than ever, it is time to demand action. The UN has reported that more than 100,000 civilians are trapped in the ever-shrinking rebel-held areas in Aleppo, with airstrikes happening all around them. These thousands of civilians remain trapped, thinking that this is the end of their lives. They have been posting on social media, begging for their lives, saying their goodbyes, and asking everyone to do anything they can possibly do to help. This is their last hope for help; they have nowhere else to turn. People have been dying and will continue to die if nothing is done. Now is the time for action.

How you can help:

Here are two easy ways to help...

Donate: Every little bit you donate matters. Even a few dollars can make a difference. Some NGOs working to help are International Rescue Committe, Oxfam America, and Islamic Relief. Encourage everyone you know to donate as well.

Petition: You can sign a petition to help one of the last doctors helping citizens in Aleppo have a voice about what is happening. The more signatures he has, the louder the call will be for help.

Sources: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38132163