One of them is known as the Islamic State, or ISIS, and believes that they are the center of the Islamic religion and will control the entire Middle East. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group, said government forces had taken control of the city after weeks of fighting. Second, the opposition composed from the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army, the Free Syrian Army and the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. More than six million more people have tried to find safety elsewhere in Syria. Rwandan Genocide Lesson for Kids: Summary & Facts, The Syrian Civil War: Quiz & Worksheet for Kids, Over 83,000 lessons in all major subjects, {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}}, History of the United Kingdom: Lesson for Kids, Afghanistan Lesson for Kids: History & Facts, Colombia Lesson for Kids: Facts & History, Easter Island Lesson for Kids: History & Facts, Facts About the Philippines: Lesson for Kids, Dominican Republic Lesson for Kids: Facts & History, Research Stations in Antarctica: Lesson for Kids, Scientific Research in Antarctica: Lesson for Kids, South African Flag Lesson for Kids: Colors & Meaning, Life & Culture of Jamaica Lesson for Kids, Christmas Traditions in Jamaica Lesson for Kids, Rwanda Lesson for Kids: History, Facts & Information, Yugoslavia Lesson for Kids: Facts & History, Mexican Independence Day Lesson for Kids: Facts, History & Celebration, Mexican War of Independence Lesson for Kids, Independence Hall Lesson for Kids: Facts & History, Texas Declaration of Independence Lesson for Kids, Indian Independence Movement Lesson for Kids, Irish War of Independence Lesson for Kids, Scottish Wars of Independence Lesson for Kids, Biological and Biomedical Protests escalated and the regime responds with mass arrests, torture and killings. The Syrian Civil War has been the most deadly conflict of the 21st century, drawing in many different nations to fight over control of the Middle Eastern nation. “First, they have to establish whether an incident occurred [it is still disputed by some] and at what level the action was authorised. In other words, no Iraq-style invasion or prolonged Western intervention. We're just living on the edge of life. The US and more than a dozen other states, including Saudi Arabia and Iran, have reportedly agreed to a framework that will include a ceasefire and political transition. Here’s Where. A US programme to train and arm 5,000 rebels to take the fight to IS on the ground also suffered a series of setbacks before being abandoned. The Syrian and Russian forces were responsible for 93 per cent of these deaths. hundreds of thousands were taking to the streets across the country. Turkey says it wants to make Idlib a secure zone. The troops of Syrian President Bashar-al Assad are trying to take over the last rebel-held province, Idlib, which has become a flashpoint and it looks like Turkey is trying to make the most of it. Soldiers who support the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, , who don't want Assad to be in power anymore. Millions of people both inside and outside Syria are in desperate need of help, but aid agencies say that getting help to people inside the country is very difficult and dangerous. Assad's forces fired shells at an observation post that was manned by Turkish troops. 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. Third, the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces. Since al-Assad came into power, he has taken steps to make certain that he will stay in power despite how unhappy many Syrians are with his rule. In September 2013, Russia and the US reached an agreement which said the Syrian government should give up its chemical weapons and destroy them so they can never again be used. In April 2017, there was reportedly another chemical weapons attack on a town in north-west Syria, which killed and injured many people. Iran and Russia have propped up the Alawite-led government of President Assad and gradually increased their support. Photo: Getty Images. We spoke to Dr Rodger Shanahan, former peacekeeper in Syria and non-resident Fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy. By mid-2012, the weakening Assad regime was buoyed by direct assistance from long-time (Shia) ally, Iran, and then by fighters from Iran-backed Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon. These include groups of rebel fighters, political parties who disagree with Assad, and those living in exile who cannot return to the country. Until late 2015, rebel appeals for anti-aircraft weapons to stop devastating government air strikes were rejected by the US and its allies, amid concern that they might end up in the hands of jihadist militants. A further 6.5 million people are internally displaced inside Syria, 1.2 million were driven from their homes in 2015 alone. His moves come after the UN warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in Syria. In a changing world, what should a Biden foreign policy look like. The domestic violence and rape problems are enormous. {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons The unrest triggered nationwide protests demanding President Assad's resignation. The Syrian Civil war is a conflict between its long-serving government and those seeking to boot it out of office. Many other countries supply weapons, fighters, and money to both sides. The conflict began on 15 March 2011, with demonstrations. By July 2011, the Free Syrian Army (FSA) had formed. These included polygamous families which presented a whole new problem. The troops of Syrian President Bashar-al Assad are trying to take over the last rebel-held province, Idlib, which has become a flashpoint and it looks like Turkey is trying to make the most of it. Continue the conversation @antsharwood@newscomauHQ@GhinwaMaia@fatherdave. UN weapons inspectors arrived yesterday with a mandate to find that out. At the same time, the conflict with IS lent fresh impetus to the search for a political solution in Syria. Log in here for access. The UN says it will need $3.2bn to help the 13.5 million people, including 6 million children, who will require some form of humanitarian assistance inside Syria in 2016. Father Dave illustrates his point with a communication he had with a Syrian woman which he published on his blog. rights reserved. Exploiting fractures and rivalries among rebel forces, Assad pummelled opposition, militants and civilians alike – and in August 2013 launched a sarin chemical weapons attack on the Ghouta agricultural belt around Damascus. But the US and French governments discussed limited missile strikes against military targets. There is another incident that Turkey is likely to use to justify an operation in Idlib. imaginable degree, area of This was important as Russia and the US support different sides in the Syrian war. Create your account, Already registered? .css-8h1dth-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-8h1dth-Link:hover,.css-8h1dth-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. Often described as a “complex web”, the Syrian war involves numerous actors, dozens of seemingly contradictory alliances and rapidly changing dynamics. Some were killed in detention, and this led to public protests which spread around the country – fuelled by the failure of the government to punish the perpetrators. And pretty soon, bad guys on both sides are killing civilians…, As Father Dave Smith says, “the way it’s been depicted the last couple of years, you get the impression the rebels are Robin Hood and his band of merry men, and that all they want is freedom and justice for all. The Syrian Civil War has been extremely violent. Russia has built nuclear reactors for Turkey. The U.S. Has Troops in Syria. And Father Dave’s opinion of what comes next? Dr Shanahan says there is evidence that opposition car bombs have killed countless civilians in the name of taking out a government target. The Syrian Civil War is one of the greatest conflicts in the world today. There are still concerns about IS though, as it is thought that some of its fighters are still operating in hiding. The OPCW said the blister agent was used in an attack on the northern town of Marea in August 2015 that killed a baby. These can be divided in four main groups. This is because some countries in Europe said they would accept refugees who wanted to start a new life here. About 70% of the population is without access to adequate drinking water, one in three people are unable to meet their basic food needs, and more than 2 million children are out of school, and four out of five people live in poverty. They have also persecuted other groups, including Christians and Yazidis, take over large areas of a country called Iraq, in September 2014 the US used planes to attack IS fighters in Iraq, RAF Tornado jets within hours of the vote, Turkey's recent invasion of north-east Syria risks the revival of the Islamic State group, Many refugees made the decision to try to reach Europe, MPs in Westminster voted against responding to this with military action, the Syrian government should give up its chemical weapons, The process of destroying the weapons began in October 2013, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize later that month, most recent air strikes by the UK, the USA and France, Turkey has begun military action in the north of the country. The following year, Russian airstrikes started in support of Assad and were criticised for targeting moderate rebel groups instead of ISIS (now Islamic State). Some even came from the faraway Caucasus region – where accused Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev originally hailed from. Talk about bad timing. After security forces .css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link{color:#3F3F42;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{font-weight:bolder;border-bottom:1px solid #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{border-bottom-color:currentcolor;border-bottom-width:2px;color:#B80000;}@supports (text-underline-offset:0.25em){.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline #BABABA;text-decoration:underline #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-underline-offset:0.25em;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{-webkit-text-decoration-color:currentcolor;text-decoration-color:currentcolor;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:2px;text-decoration-thickness:2px;color:#B80000;}}opened fire on demonstrators, killing several, more took to the streets.