Divisions between the country’s Sunni majority and the ruling ʿAlawite elite were also a factor. Establishing this deterrent is a vital national security interest of the United States. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. These groups have been supported by Western powers such as the United States and Germany. The rebels and Assad’s forces have both fought separate battles against ISIS, while also waging war against each other. All Rights Reserved. ISIS’s presence in Syria, meanwhile, has been greatly diminished. The Syrian government strongly denies having used any chemical weapons. As the conflict progressed, however, sectarian divisions hardened. The United States, the EU, and the Arab League soon introduced sanctions targeting senior members of the Assad regime. A lagging economy, high unemployment, government corruption and a severe drought were other issues that generated frustration among people under Assad’s rule. Regional support comes from Turkey, Jordan, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Watch 8 years of war in the Middle East unfold in 10 minutes. The Syrian Civil War began in 2011 out of a desire to remove President Bashar al-Assad from office. Almost all the forces in Syria fighting against each other are also fighting the Islamic State. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Russia in early March, seeking to persuade President Vladimir Putin to help stem disaster in Syria’s Essentially, the Syrian government’s main backers are Russia, Iran and Hezbollah (a militia group based in Lebanon). Assad’s crackdown is just one of several problems plaguing Syria. The Syrian civil war started when major conflict broke out March 15, 2011, after a forceful crackdown on peaceful student protests against the government of Bashar al-Assad. Relevance is automatically assessed so some headlines not qualifying as news for this subject might appear - please feel free to contact us regarding any persistent issues. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. In 2012 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime confirmed for the first time its possession of a chemical weapons arsenal. Syrian Civil War: Syrian Democratic Forces: Usually shortened as SDF or QSD, are an alliance of Kurdish, Arab, Turkmen, Assyrian and Armenian militias mainly fighting against ISIS, Al-Nusra Front and other Jihadist groups in the Syrian Civil War. descent into civil war. By July 2011, Syrian rebels formed the Free Syrian Army (FSA), and a civil war was imminent. Discontent about the government’s response to the drought that beset Syria from 2006-10 was an underlying cause as well. This includes the inner Turkey-PKK conflict, inner-US politics (“deep state”, the pro-Israel lobby). If nothing changes, this war-torn area of the world is likely to be the site of more violence and instability. Hundreds of thousands of farming families were reduced to poverty, causing a mass migration of rural people to urban shantytowns. Syrian Civil War News. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Response. The consequences are tragic for civilians, particularly children. Assads’ Rule Breeds Discontent. These groups are primarily made up of Sunni militants. Bashar al-Assad was asked in an interview with The Wall Street Journal if he expected the wave of popular protest then sweeping through the Arab world—which had already unseated authoritarian rulers in Tunisia and Egypt—to reach Syria. When Assad succeeded his father in 2000, he came to the presidency with a reputation as a modernizer and a reformer. Protesters demanded an end to the authoritarian practices of the Assad regime, in place since Assad’s father, Ḥafiz al-Assad, became president in 1971. Security forces responded harshly, conducting mass arrests and sometimes firing on demonstrators. Sides of conflict. The hopes that were raised by Assad’s presidency went largely unfulfilled, though. The combined effects of the drought and preexisting economic disparities under the Assad regime contributed to the first nonviolent pro-reform protests, in 2011, riding the wave of Arab Spring uprisings. On the eve of the uprising, then, Syrian society remained highly repressive, with increasingly conspicuous inequalities in wealth and privilege. The United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and other western countries are described as supporters of moderate rebel groups. Most importantly, he explains the real political and economic reasons behind agricultural crisis in Syria's northeastern breadbasket region. In April 2011, the Syrian Army fired on demonstrators across the country. The Syrian government used violence to suppress demonstrations, making extensive use of police, military, and paramilitary forces. An anti-Assad bloc consisting of Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia formed in the last half of 2011. It was in the impoverished drought-stricken rural province of Darʿā, in southern Syria, that the first major protests occurred in March 2011. Meanwhile, Syria’s long-standing allies Iran and Russia continued their support. Pro-Assad forces, Syrian army, NDF, Russia, IRGC from Iran, Hezbollah, Shia groups from Iraq, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon. But it also brought Syrian and Turkish forces into direct clashes – a first during the war, although Turkey has been supporting rebel groups since the beginning of the civil war. The depravity of the civil war itself compels the United States to show that it is doing something constructive, but Washington's core interest for the region at the moment is to preserve and advance a negotiation with Iran. Tensions between the two groups is an ongoing problem throughout Syria and other nations in the Middle East. Several human rights groups have accused the leader of habitually torturing and killing political opponents throughout his presidency. “Otherwise, President Assad and his regime will continue to be challenged from within and isolated abroad,” Obama said. The contagion effects of the Arab Spring revolts in Tunisia and Egypt were the proximate cause of the Syrian civil war. In politics, a brief turn toward greater participation was quickly reversed, and Assad revived the authoritarian tactics of his late father’s administration, including pervasive censorship and surveillance and brutal violence against suspected opponents of the regime. Since 2012, however, numerous multinational investigations have uncovered Syrian chemical weapons attacks that number in “the low dozens” and have targeted Syrian civilians. Insurgent forces include the Southern Front, the Kurdish-dominant Syrian Democratic Forces, and a coalition of SAA defectors. More than 450,000 Syrians have lost their lives in six years of armed conflict, which began with anti-government protests before escalating into a full-scale civil war. However, in March of that year, 15 Syrian schoolchildren were arrested and tortured for writing graffiti that was inspired by the Arab Spring. What started as a nonviolent protest in 2011 quickly escalated into full-blown warfare. Syrians, at the time, complained of high unemployment, a lack of political freedom, and government corruption after Assad replaced his father, Hafez al-Assad, in 2000. Most parties involved in the war in Syria receive various types of support from foreign countries and entities based outside Syria. News analysis. A peaceful uprising against the president of Syria 10 years ago turned into a full-scale civil war. Within Syria itself, an estimated 6.5 million civilians have been displaced. The onset of antiregime protests, coming just a few weeks after the interview, made it clear that Assad’s situation had been much more precarious than he was willing to admit. Most fled to Turkey and other regional allies, but hundreds of thousands have found asylum in Germany, the United States, and Canada. In June, Syrian troops and tanks moved into the northern town of Jisr al-Shugūr, sending a stream of thousands of refugees fleeing into Turkey. countries, Western countries. In March 2011 Syria’s government, led by Pres. Exceptions will frequently be made for specific events. More than 5.6 million refugees have fled the country, and another 6.1 million are displaced within Syria. In reality, a variety of long-standing political and economic problems were pushing the country toward instability. © 2021 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). From 2006 to 2010 Syria suffered its worst drought in modern history. Sectarian divisions were initially not as rigid as is sometimes supposed, though; the political and economic elite with ties to the regime included members of all of Syria’s confessional groups—not just ʿAlawites—while many middle- and working-class ʿAlawites did not particularly benefit from belonging to the same community as the Assad family and may have shared some of the protesters’ socioeconomic grievances. The idea that the Syrian civil war was partly caused by climate change induced drought is widely repeated and yet deeply flawed. In this article, you can read all about the civil war in Syria, its players, causes and ramifications for the world. He has received foreign support from Russia and Iran. The spillover of the Syrian civil war is the impact of the Syrian civil war in the Arab world and beyond. The Syrian Civil War 1. Syrian Civil War - Syrian Civil War - Civil war: Although it is impossible to pinpoint when the uprising turned from a predominately peaceful protest movement into a militarized rebellion, armed clashes became increasingly common, and by September 2011 organized rebel militias were regularly engaging in combat with government troops in cities around Syria. The Syrian Arab Republic, more commonly known as Syria, is a country located in the Middle East. Since the start of the war, the situation in Syria became much more complicated, as other countries and organized fighters have entered the picture. Even before the Arab Spring-inspired incident, many Syrian citizens were dissatisfied over the government’s incompetency, the people’s lack of freedoms and the general living conditions in their country. The deadliest occurred in 2013 in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta. Shock and anger began to spread throughout Syria, and many demanded that Assad resign. Opposition fighters had no central leadership. Despite this intervention, little progress has been made. The regime also produced propaganda stoking minorities’ fears that the predominately Sunni opposition would carry out violent reprisals against non-Sunni communities. The conflict has spawned a humanitarian and refugee crisis of massive proportions. Was Arab Spring the spark that ignited the civil war? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. It was originally part of the Ottoman empire, but, when the empire dissolved after World War II, the land area known now as Syria was controlled by the French as mandated by the League of Nations. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Assad acknowledged that there had been economic hardships for many Syrians and that progress toward political reform had been slow and halting, but he was confident that Syria would be spared because his administration’s stance of resistance to the United States and Israel aligned with the beliefs of the Syrian people, whereas the leaders who had already fallen had carried out pro-Western foreign policy in defiance of their people’s feelings. Both the Syrian government and rebels appear unwilling to agree on terms of peace. Assad’s office spoke out against the 2017 attacks and said in a statement, “What America did is nothing but foolish and irresponsible behavior, which only reveals its short-sightedness and political and military blindness to reality.”, After the 2018 attack, U.S. President Donald Trump told the press: "The purpose of our actions tonight is to establish a strong deterrent against the production, spread and use of chemical weapons. In this special feature, Britannica provides a guide to the civil war and explores the historical context of the conflict. The Syrian Civil War Infographic 3. A group of children had been arrested and tortured by the authorities for writing antiregime graffiti; incensed local people took to the street to demonstrate for political and economic reforms. https://www.britannica.com/event/Syrian-Civil-War, Council on Foreign Relations - Civil War in Syria, Federation of American Scientists - Congressional Research Service Reports - Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. U.S., International coalition, NATO, Israel, E.U. The combined American, British and French response to these atrocities will integrate all instruments of our national power—military, economic, and diplomatic.”. Citizens demanded the release of the remaining children, along with greater freedoms for all people in the country. Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan are credited with hosting the most Syrian refugees. Although many complicated motives led to the Syrian civil war, one event, known as the Arab Spring, stands out as perhaps the most significant trigger for the conflict. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. In 2018 the United Nations recorded 6.7 million Syrian refugees, nearly 40 percent of Syria’s population that year. Foreign involvement in the Syrian Civil War refers to political, military and operational support to parties involved in the ongoing conflict in Syria that began in March 2011, as well as active foreign involvement. Corrections? The war has been a source of significant instability in the Middle East since 2011, and the resultant civilian displacement and refugee exodus constitute one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. Conflict continues with insecurity in parts of the country. Barack Obama and several European heads of state called for him to step down in August 2011. The Syrian Civil War is an ongoing violent conflict in Syria between pro-democratic insurgents and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s long-standing dynastic regime. Since 2014, the United Nations has hosted nine rounds of mediated peace talks, known as the Geneva II process. The war has displaced millions and thrown the country into political chaos. The United States and the European Union were increasingly critical of Assad as his crackdown continued, and U.S. Pres. This manifested in protests in shantytowns outside Damascus and Islamist militant organizations such as ISIL and Hayʾat Taḥrīr al-Shām also oppose the Assad regime, but they have clashed with mainstream insurgents. Jan Selby excavates the sources of misleading information and dismantles the simplistic cause and effect argument. Updates? The Civil War Takes Shape While we know a good deal about the Syrian government because it is much like many other governments around the world, we don’t know much about the rebels. The arrests sparked outrage and demonstrations throughout Syria. N.B. News Syrian Civil War: Germany pledges fresh aid, a decade on. By September 2018, Assad's forces had reclaimed control of most of the country’s biggest cities, although parts of the country were still held by rebel and jihadist groups and the Kurdish-led SDF alliance. These successful revolts, dubbed the Arab Spring, served as an inspiration for pro-democracy activists in Syria. World. But the government, headed by President Bashar al-Assad, responded by killing and arresting hundreds of protestors. The Syrian civil war, which has devastated the entire country of Syria and its neighbors, is a complex conflict that involves several nations, rebel groups and terrorist organizations. As the protests increased in strength and size, the regime responded with heavier force. When he refused, war broke out between his supporters and his opponents. Read more. March 2011 - Violence flares in Daraa after a group of teens and children are arrested for writing … Lizzie Dearden Britain still has questions to answer about Isis members. Hafez al-Assad seized control from a Baathist military junta in … Another problem was a tense religious atmosphere in the country: Most Syrians are Sunni Muslims, yet Syria’s government is dominated by members of the Shia Alawite sect. Syrian Civil War [UPSC International Relations Notes] The West Asian country of Syria has been embroiled in a tumultuous civil war since 2011. The Syrian Civil War Explained 2. Experts estimate that 13.1 million Syrians need humanitarian assistance, such as medicine or food. The violence of the regime’s response added visibility and momentum to the protesters’ cause, and within weeks similar nonviolent protests had begun to appear in cities around the country. Syrian civil war. Nearly 3 million of these people live in hard-to-reach areas. When the Syrian Civil War began, the four main warring factions were ISIS, Kurdish forces, the Assad government, and other opposition groups. Bashar al-Assad, faced an unprecedented challenge to its authority when pro-democracy protests erupted throughout the country. Since the fighting began, more than 470,000 people have been killed, with over 1 million injured and millions more forced to flee their homes and live as refugees. There are several parties involved in the Syrian Civil War. Assad became president in 2000 after the death of his father. What started as a nonviolent uprising in 2011 escalated into a full-fledged civil war. Syrian civil war 04 02 2020.png 1,450 × 1,199; 744 KB Syrian civil war gallery.jpg 700 × 800; 515 KB Syrian civil war September 2015.png 2,504 × 2,107; 1.04 MB Germany has pledged €1.74 billion in aid for the victims of the Syrian Civil War at a donor conference in Brussels. In April of 2017 and 2018, the United States launched military attacks against chemical weapons sites in Syria. Four NGOs have filed a criminal complaint against members of the Syrian government for deadly attacks in 2013 and 2017. Many newer rebel groups have emerged since the war began. Several human rights organizations have called the Syrian Civil War the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century. The goal of the group is to establish and protect the federal region “Rojava – Northern Syria”. Antigovernment protesters wearing Syrian rebel flags during a demonstration in Homs, Syria, December 2011. After months of military battles, the protests turned into an armed rebellion. NewsNow provides the latest headlines on the Syrian Civil War. The Syrian Civil War refers to the ongoing armed civil war in Syria.It began in 2011 (you read that right, this has been going on for ten years) during the Arab Spring.Unrest and protests provoked a violent crackdown by the Bashar al-Assad regime, and this action led to an all-out uprising. Hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees have returned to their homes, often only to be displaced a second or third time. Any sort of derailing from the Syrian Civil War or issues directly related to it is not allowed. A man stands atop a building looking at the destroyed Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, 2015. In early 2011, a series of political and economic protests in Egypt and Tunisia broke out. Many of the protesters belonged to the country’s Sunni majority, while the ruling Assad family were members of the country’s ʿAlawite minority. Between 2006 and 2010, Syria experienced the worst drought in the country’s modern history. In January 2011, Syrian Pres. To further complicate the dynamics, the United States has also led an international bombing campaign against ISIS targets since 2014. Environmental crisis also played a role in Syria’s uprising. “The Syrian government must stop shooting demonstrators and allow peaceful protests; release political prisoners and stop unjust arrests; allow human rights monitors to have access to cities like Dara’a; and start a serious dialogue to advance a democratic transition,” U.S. President Barack Obama stated in a 2011 speech. The regime’s harsh military crackdown escalated tensions, and by September 2011 the peaceful protests had become an armed insurgency. The last remaining rebel stronghold was the north-western province of Idlib. A diverse mix of characters complicates the situation. Videos of security forces beating and firing at protesters—captured by witnesses on mobile phones—were circulated around the country and smuggled out to foreign media outlets. In his public statements, Assad sought to portray the opposition as Sunni Islamic extremists in the mold of al-Qaeda and as participants in foreign conspiracies against Syria. Since its start in 2011, the Syrian Civil War has created the largest refugee population in the world, constituting over a third of the global refugee population. The ongoing conflict also encouraged terrorist organizations, such as ISIS and al-Qaeda, to join in on the chaos. Map of Syrian Revolution, Civil war in Syria, Russian war on Syria, ISIS war on Syria. The Syrian Civil War is an ongoing violent conflict in Syria between pro-democratic insurgents and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s long-standing dynastic regime. The war has been a source of significant instability in the Middle East since 2011, and the resultant civilian displacement and refugee exodus constitute one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. After negotiations failed in 2014, UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi apologized to the Syrian people in a statement, saying, "Unfortunately, the government has refused, which raises the suspicion of the opposition that, in fact, the government doesn't want to discuss the (transitional governing body) at all," he said. An early indicator of the international divisions and rivalries that would prolong the conflict came in October 2011 when Russia and China cast the first of several vetoes blocking a UN Security Council Resolution that would have condemned Assad’s crackdown. Opposition forces were soldiers who had left the Syrian army and civilian volunteers. Syrians walk amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following air strikes by regime forces in the rebel-held area of Douma on August 30, 2015. 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