This Is Why The Eiffel Tower Will Go Dark Tonight

The lights of the Eiffel Tower won't shine tonight for an important reason. The iconic landmark will go dark in solidarity with Aleppo, the Syrian city that was rocked by violence and chaos once again this week as pro-government forces sought to regain control of territory controlled by rebel fighters. The war-torn city has become a symbol of the refugee crisis amid the ongoing conflict. Residents of Aleppo have reported atrocities against rebels and civilians since the city came under siege, horrifying the world. Many people have taken to social media to share heartbreaking final goodbyes. On Tuesday, a deal with the Syrian forces was struck to allow rebels and civilians to escape the city. But on early Wednesday, it was reported that East Aleppo continued to be bombed and the deal fell through. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo made the announcement on her Twitter account. The Parisian landmark will go dark at 8 p.m., local time, she said.

This is not the first time that the Eiffel Tower has been used as a symbol of solidarity in times of tragedy. Back in March, it lit up with the colors of the Belgian flag to honor the memories of those killed in the Brussels terrorist attack. In June, the tower showed the colors of the LGBTQ flag in solidarity with the victims and survivors of the Orlando, Florida, nightclub shooting. In the past 13 months, it has also gone dark twice: After the November 2015 attacks in Paris and the attack in Nice this past July.