A year after the start of Syria's uprising, the weary nation is at an impasse, with a broad insurgency still active despite months of brutal attacks by the Syrian army and other forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Diplomacy has now stalled, international sanctions have had little effect, and no outside intervention appears imminent. According the the UN, more than 8,000 people have died in the conflict so far, and the violence is escalating in what has become a war of attrition. The Syrian government is denying access to the country by independent journalists, but a number of them have found their way in and out on their own, bringing back these images so the world can see what is taking place.