The Middle East

The Syrian Civil War has Outlasted WWII

 

Most people know there is a civil war going on in Syria, but few know how and why it began. 

In 2011 a group of school children were arrested for graffitiing a wall expressing anti-government views. As well as their arrest, these children were allegedly tortured. 

The protests, which began peacefully, in the city of Deraa called for the release of the children as well as greater freedom and democracy for Syrians under President Bashar al-Assad. The protests provided a platform for many Syrians to express their views with regards to high unemployment rates, lack of political freedom and distrust in government officials as well as outrage at how the country’s most recent environmental crisis was handled, leaving hundreds of thousands of families reduced to poverty as a result of the worst drought the country had ever experienced (2006-2010).

In response to the protests the government ordered the army to open fire, four people were killed. This reaction to the protests was the final straw for many Syrians. As shock and anger spread through the country, they called on Mr. Assad to resign. He refused, and the fighting began. 

Words: Alice I’Anson 2020
Cover Image: Unknown

 

In July 2012, just over a year after the initial protests, the International Red Cross declared Syria to be in a state of civil war. 

Nine years on and the fighting continues. Over the years a number of groups have been involved in this multi-sided war, Mr. Assad’s soldiers, the rebels (those who want to remove him from power) and the Islamic State known as ISIS. 

Around 400,000 people have died as a result of the this war, with the United Nations estimating that six and a half million people have been displaced within Syria and more than three million have fled to neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey for refuge. 

The Syrian civil war has now gone on for longer than World War II and at present there is no end in sight.