The most powerful images of 2016

As 2016 finally comes to an end, we can all let out a collective sigh of relief. This year we’ve seen heartbreaking scenes – from the utter devastation of the city of Aleppo, to the millions of refugees and displaced people stranded without a home, to the distraught faces of children in Yemen, their lives torn apart by war. But we’ve also seen scenes of pure joy – family members reunited, prisoners of conscience walking free and refugees finally reaching safety.

Click through the gallery of some of the most powerful images to come across our desks in 2016. Warning, these images contain some graphic scenes.