(CNN) They stand tall and proud in front of a crumbling skyline, the exhaustion of their cause written on their faces.

Some wear jeans and T-shirts and sneakers. Others wear the uniforms of their trades: hospital scrubs, or a hard hat. The men hold Syrian opposition flags and a woman clutches a baby.

They are a coalition of activists -- doctors, educators and civil servants -- from Aleppo's beleaguered rebel-held areas.

In a rare video message in English, they issue a desperate plea to the international community -- specifically, the US-led coalition -- to airdrop humanitarian aid.

It has been almost six years and we are wondering what the world was doing?"

An English-speaking Syrian doctor known as Dr. Hamza al-Khatib stands in the middle of the group, reading aloud from a piece of paper.

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