Aleppo is sadly more commonly associated with images of patients lying on hospital floors slick with blood and dead families buried in rubble in the aftermath of air strikes than it is with its past image as the ‘jewel of Syria.’

The country’s largest city, home to two million people before the war, is now riven in two and the scene of intense fighting after the government announced a new offensive to finally drive rebels out from opposition-held besieged neighbourhoods.

The Russian backed air strikes - followed up on Tuesday with a ground offensive by Syrian troops - have been described as the worst violence in Syria’s six-year-long civil war.

Activists on the ground report more than 400 people have died in bombings that have included ground-penetrating and incendiary munitions. The UK and France, as well as Nato, have described the attacks on the 250,000 civilians in the besieged areas of east Aleppo as “war crimes.”

But promotional material put out by the Syrian government would have outsiders think otherwise.

A recent video from Sana, Syria’s state media organisation, is headlined: “Aleppo, now dubbed as ‘the world’s most dangerous city’, still boasts a thriving nightlife.” It shows DJs spinning decks at a packed club at an event that supposedly took place this summer, mocking the idea that the the city’s residents live in war conditions.

A week in Aleppo - witnessing the fierce battle for Syria's largest city Show all 6 1 /6 A week in Aleppo - witnessing the fierce battle for Syria's largest city A week in Aleppo - witnessing the fierce battle for Syria's largest city aleppo-woman.jpg A woman walks through rubble from a building destroyed by shelling from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic A week in Aleppo - witnessing the fierce battle for Syria's largest city aleppo-gun.jpg A Free Syrian Army fighter gestures during a fight with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic A week in Aleppo - witnessing the fierce battle for Syria's largest city aleppo-truck.jpg Members of the Free Syrian Army ride on pick-up trucks in Aleppo's district of Salheddine REUTERS/Abdel Razzak al-Halabi A week in Aleppo - witnessing the fierce battle for Syria's largest city aleppo-body.jpg The body of a civilian, whom activists say was killed by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, is seen in front of the wreckage of a bus in Aleppo's district of Salheddine REUTERS/Abdel Razzak al-Halabi A week in Aleppo - witnessing the fierce battle for Syria's largest city aleppo-wounded.jpg A Free Syrian Army fighter is wounded during a fight with forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic A week in Aleppo - witnessing the fierce battle for Syria's largest city ALEPPO-WRECKAGE.jpg A man carries belongings from his shop destroyed by shelling from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in downtown Aleppo REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Conditions in west Aleppo, while not the living hell faced by their neighbours in the east, are still not easy.

The entire city had no water for several days when rebels turned the supply off in retaliation for a strike which hit east Aleppo’s main water pumping station. West Aleppo residents have faced mortar shells from rebels since 2012 and suffered siege conditions in the past for months on end.

Bodies on the floor in Aleppo hospital

Commenters on social media immediately decried the video as “sick” for ignoring the suffering of those in east Aleppo, and accused it of being filmed elsewhere.

Government text messages to besieged residents this week, as well as leaflets dropped from the sky, urge civilians to flee to regime-held areas.

Both Syrian and Russian officials have said there are open humanitarian corridors across the siege barricades, but several reports from the city say that anyone attempting to approach the checkpoints were shot at by snipers.