Military intervention in Syria may be off the table, but the reality on the ground in many areas is still bleak. Near Damascus, an attack on a gas pipeline that the government says was rebel-led left much of the country in the dark Wednesday. In the meantime, there are reports of citizens starving in some rebel-controlled areas due to the army blocking aid. Some Muslim clerics have reportedly responded by issuing a fatwa allowing the consumption of dogs, cats and monkeys. A new concern could be on the horizon; the World Health Organization recently announced that it has received reports of suspected polio cases in the country. Simon Schorno, International Committee of the Red Cross spokesman in Damascus, paints a portrait of what life is like for Syrians on the ground. (Photo: Flickr/British Red Cross)