The past year has been incredibly tumultuous for the Middle East.
Political upheaval is still roiling throughout the region since the Arab Spring, and wars have continued to grind on in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Libya.
But despite the conflict, life continues in this region where 257 million people call home.
We have put together some of the most illustrative photos taken in the Middle East this year.
SEE ALSO: The 50 most unforgettable photos of 2015
In this March 12 photo, a man looks at the rubble of buildings destroyed in the clashes between ISIS militants and Kurdish armed groups in the center of the Syrian town of Kobani.
In this Monday, March 30, 2015 photo, Iraqi security forces launch a rocket against Islamic State extremist positions during clashes in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. Iraqi forces retook the city on April 17, 2015.
In this Friday, April 24, 2015 photo, an Egyptian youth carries a lit flare as supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood gather in the El-Mataria neighborhood of Cairo, Egypt, to protest the 20-year sentence for ousted president Mohammed Morsi and verdicts against other prominent figures of the Brotherhood.
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