They are a familiar sight to anyone who has been on the front lines in the embattled Syrian city of Aleppo: striped sheets--formerly store awnings, curtains or drapes--that once blocked the harsh sunlight or a neighbor's prying eyes now shield against much more lethal threats.
The sheets are strung up between buildings, what's left of them, and across streets. They are meant to obscure a sharpshooter's line of sight, providing a small measure of protection from an assassin lurking in the shadows of these often abandoned and devastated neighborhoods. For residents even the simplest task, like going to buy bread or...