The document provides an overview of the ongoing conflict in Syria since 2011. It began as pro-democracy protests against President Bashar al-Assad but escalated into a civil war. Many Syrians were dissatisfied with high unemployment, corruption, lack of freedoms, and repression under Assad. The conflict has drawn involvement from international actors supporting either the Assad regime or rebel groups. Over 450,000 people have been killed and millions displaced as fighting continues between government forces, rebels, and terrorist organizations. Efforts to restore peace have been unsuccessful so far.

1. 2018
Understanding Syria War – Part I
COLLECTION AND COMPILED BY
RAJKUMAR DULAL
FEBRUARY 26, 2018

2. Syria: Introduction
 Name and Boarder : Syria, officially known as the Syrian
Arab Republic, is a country in Western Asia, bordering
Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey
to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and
Israel to the southwest
 Population: 18.43 million
 Area : 185,180 km²
 Government: Republic, Totalitarianism, Unitary state,
Semi-presidential system, One-party state

4. Seed of Conflict
Long before the conflict began, many
Syrians complained about high
unemployment, widespread corruption,
a lack of political freedom and state
repression under President Bashar al-
Assad, who succeeded his father, Hafez,
in 2000 (BBC, 2018).

5. A Wall Painting Caused Killing
 Pro-democracy protests erupted in March
2011 in the southern city of Deraa after the
arrest and torture of some teenagers who
painted revolutionary slogans on a school wall.
After security forces opened fire on
demonstrators, killing several, more took to
the streets (BBC, 2018)

6. Peoples’ perception on government
 Many people thought these
problems are due to the existing
government and mostly the
president Bashar Al-Assad

7. Commencement of war in 2011
 Protest against President Bashar al-Assad in
2011 demanding his resignation and
establishment of democracy in Daraa City of
Syria
 The protest was increasing day by day. In
March 2011, the government opened firing
against the protestors by the lead and request
of president Assad

8. In July 2011, the protesters formed an
armed group to fight against the
President and the government

9. Dissatisfaction in Syria Army
 Syrian Army also divided into two groups.
One was in favor of president and another was
against. The next group joined the protesters
stating that they are ‘free Syrian army’
 The merged group was named as ‘Syrian
Rebels’ which started to fight against
government and the president

10.  Violence escalated and the country descended
into civil war as rebel brigades were formed to
battle government forces for control of cities,
towns and the countryside. Fighting reached
the capital Damascus and second city of
Aleppo in 2012 (ibid).

11. Release of terrorists from jail
 The president Bashar al-Assad set a strategy to
release the terrorists from jail with the trust that they
will join the ‘Syrian Rebels’ so that America does not
support them

12. Internal affair triggered by Externals
The internal affairs of the country turned
into war when the interest of similar
groups globally played the role
Many such groups and countries
supported to the rebels and government
per their interest

13. Till now, the war caused….

14. 
 more than 465,000 Syrians have been killed in
the fighting, over a million injured, and over 12
million - half the country's prewar population -
have been displaced from their homes
(aljazeera).

16.  Rebels also control smaller areas in the central
province of Homs, the southern provinces of
Deraa and Quneitra, and the eastern Ghouta
agricultural belt outside Damascus.

17. War Crimes
 Murder, torture, rape, enforced
disappearances, civilian suffering - such as
blocking access to food, water and health
services through sieges - as a method of war
(UN).

18. Chemical Weapons
 Rockets filled with the nerve agent sarin were
fired at several suburbs of Damascus
 Blaming games for chemical weapons.
Rebellions blame to the Syrian government
and vice versa.
 BBC report says chlorine was used
"systematically and repeatedly"

20. Human displacement
 5 Million people fled Syria
 7 million internally displaced
 10% Syrian moved to Europe

21. The UN says
about 70% of the population of Syria is
without access to adequate drinking
water
one in three people are unable to meet
their basic food needs
more than 2 million children are out of
school
four out of five people live in poverty.

22. Per the report of BBC,
 Almost 85% of Syrians live in poverty, with more than
two-thirds of the population in either extreme or
abject poverty.
 More than 12.8 million people in Syria require health
assistance and more than seven million are food
insecure amid rising prices and food shortages.
 Households spend up to a quarter of their income
just on water. Some 1.75 million children are out of
school.

25. International involvement
 Foreign backing and open intervention have
played a large role in Syria's civil war. Russia
entered the conflict in 2015 and has been the
Assad government's main ally since then
(aljazeera).

26.  Regional actors: The governments of majority-Shia Iran and Iraq, and
Lebanon-based Hezbollah, have supported al-Assad, while Sunni-majority
countries, including Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia supported anti-Assad
rebels.
 Since 2016, Turkish troops have launched several operations against the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) near its
borders, as well as against Kurdish groups armed by the United States.
 Anti-ISIL coalition: The US has armed anti-Assad rebel groups and led an
international coalition bombing ISIL targets since 2014.
 Israel carried out air raids inside Syria, reportedly targeting Hezbollah
and pro-government fighters and facilities. The first time Syrian air
defenses shot down an Israeli war plane was in February 2018 (ibid).

27. USA and Russia
 Chemical red line: Former US President Barack Obama had warned that the use of chemical weapons
in Syria was a "red line" that would prompt military intervention.
 In April 2017, the US carried its first direct military action against Assad's forces, launching 59
Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian air force base from which US officials believe a chemical attack on
Khan Sheikhoun had been launched.
 CIA training: In 2013, the CIA began a covert programme to arm, fund and train rebel groups opposing
al-Assad, but the programme was later shut down after it was revealed that the CIA had spent
$500m but only trained 60 fighters.
 Russia's campaign: In September 2015, Russia launched a bombing campaign against what it referred
to as "terrorist groups" in Syria, which included ISIL as well as anti-Assad rebel groups backed by the
USA. Russia has also deployed military advisers to shore up Assad's defences.
 At the UN Security Council, Russia and China have repeatedly vetoed Western-backed resolutions on
Syria (Aljazeera).

28. Initiation to restore peace
 UN is playing role but seems not sufficient
 Seize fire has been violated
 Efforts ongoing

29. Trending ‘versus’
 Democracy vs autocracy
 Powerful countries vs Weaker
 One religious group vs another
 Weapon vs business
 War vs peace

30. Till now,
 More than 450,000 Syrians have lost their lives in four-
and-a-half years of armed conflict, which began with
anti-government protests before escalating into a full-
scale civil war.
 More than 11 million others have been forced from their
homes as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and
those opposed to his rule battle each other - as well as
jihadist militants from so-called Islamic State (BBC, 2018)

31. Comments of people

40. The situation today
 Fighting in Syria continues on two main fronts:
 Eastern Ghouta: Syrian government forces backed by Russian warplanes have
continued to hit the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, resulting in hundreds
of civilians deaths.
 Eastern Ghouta has been under siege since 2013 and is the last remaining rebel
stronghold near the capital, Damascus.
 The US also accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons.
 Afrin: Turkey and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) began in January 2018 a military
operation against the YPG in northwestern Syria, near Afrin. Pro-government
forces have also joined the fight.
 Also in northwestern Syria, Hay'et Tahrir al-Sham rebels claimed responsibility
for shooting down a Russian warplane near Idlib on February 3 (Aljazeera)

41. May the peace reestablished
Please pray for those who are in pain
May God give the good wisdom and spirit
to everybody who are engaged in this war
so that they can realize the value and
strength of peace.
God bless all

42. References
 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35806229
 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26116868
 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/05/syria-civil-war-explained-160505084119966.html
 https://edition.cnn.com/specials/middleeast/syria
 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43195707
 http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/syria_en.pdf
 https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Syrian_Civil_War&gettingStartedReturn=true
 http://ujyaaloonline.com/news/94040/syria-war-crisis-deepens/
 http://www.emechi.com/2018/02/1911/
 http://www.nepalipatra.com/news/trend/syria/33456
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INUqkSCk8JY