Far from war's front lines, life in Syria is still tough

A man holds up a fuel pump nozzle at a petrol station in Damascus, Syria , February 19, 2017. Picture taken February 19, 2017. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Large parts of Damascus have survived almost six years of conflict in Syria relatively unscarred, but shortages of fuel and electricity, spiralling prices and a lack of jobs mean the lives of its residents are far from unscathed.

A series of recent military victories has made the government more secure but done little to alleviate many hardships, evident in the queues of cars snaking out of petrol stations alongside columns of pedestrians with jerry cans.