A brutal bombing campaign by Syrian government forces has left much of the city of Aleppo in ruins. The regime, backed by Russia, has re-taken much of the eastern part of the city from rebels.

Tens of thousands of civilians are caught in the crossfire as the Syrian Army continues to advance.

As CBS News’ Debora Patta reports from Damascus, those civilians face an impossible choice: Staying in Aleppo and facing a daily barrage of bombings, or escaping to government-held areas.

One woman who tried to escape was killed in the street with a backpack on her shoulders. And those who manage to get out are being housed in crowded, makeshift shelters.

Watch the video above for more details on Aleppo, which are so dire that a United Nations official warned Wednesday that the eastern part of the city may become “one giant graveyard.”