The Syrian war began with the people demanding for freedom. March 2011 an uprising in Syria developed into full-fledged civil war after it’s government choose to brutally supress civilian demonstrations.
The totalitarian regime, which began after Hafez Al Assad coup d’état in 19701 then followed by his son Bashar in 2000, arrested and tortured 15 school boys in southern city of Daraa2. Those kids, affected by the ongoing Arab spring events in Tunis and Egypt at that time, sprayed Anti-government graffiti on their school walls. Their families and community leaders demands to free the kids were met by insults and orders to open fire by Atef Najib, the head of political security branch and Bashar Al Assad cousin3. People took to the streets in 15 March 2011 demanding the boys release and change of Atef Najib. Those demands were considered a threat to the national security and met with brutal force. Arresting, torturing, and using live ammunition against demonstrators. Mahmoud al Jawabreh, a 23-old previous soccer player was among the first four people to get killed by security forces on 18th of March4. Just three days after beginning of demonstrations. After that, the situation escalated quickly and demonstrations spread to other cities.
On the 23rd of April, 2 soldiers refused to carry order of shooting on civilians in Harasta city in Rural Damascus5. Several soldiers did the same in other areas. In 9th of June, Hussein Harmoush, a lieutenant colonel who defected from the Syrian Army along with other 30 soldiers formed the Free Officers Brigade. On 29th of June, another defected group formed the Free Syrian Army(FSA). Both groups merged under the flag of FSA with the aim of protecting the people from oppression and taking down the regime6.
The situation got more and more gruesome with use of heavy weapons, airstrikes, barrel bombs, chemical weapons, tactics of siege and weaponization of health and water by the government. Furthermore, with involvement of Hezbollah forces later joined by Iranian formed militias, formation of fundamental Islamic militias, formation of Kurds militias, interfering of Russia, interfering of gulf countries, expanding of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant(ISIS), the war on ISIS lead by US and remaining members of the international coalition the situation developed into Armed conflict and one of the worst humanitarian crisis since WWII7.
Now, the death toll exceeded 400,000 and uncounted number of injuries. About half of the population was displaced either internally or become refugees in other countries. More than 200,000 are detained in regime prisons and its security branches8. Cities such old Homs, Al Qusayr, Eastern Aleppo were almost totally destroyed by military siege with the use of heavy artillery, surface to surface missiles, airstrikes and barrel bombs in aim to force those cities into submission and displace its population. Other areas such as Eastern Ghouta just few kilometers away from Damascus are still under siege since 2013. Denying it’s more than 300,000 population access to health care, food and other living needs. Even blocking humanitarian aid and removing medical items and medication from its convoys9.
The Syrian conflict is yet to be resolved anytime soon. Although it is one of the most documented conflicts with people on ground sharing live evidence of atrocities and human rights violations.
1. Hafez al-Assad [Internet]. Wikipedia. 2017 [cited 2018 Jan 6];Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hafez_al-Assad&oldid=816141517
2. Fahim K, Saad H. A Faceless Teenage Refugee Who Helped Ignite Syria’s War [Internet]. N. Y. Times. 2013 [cited 2018 Jan 6];Available from: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/09/world/middleeast/a-faceless-teenage-refugee-who-helped-ignite-syrias-war.html
3. Syria: cousin of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad given travel ban [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2018 Jan 6];Available from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/8572496/Syria-cousin-of-Syrian-president-Bashar-al-Assad-given-travel-ban.html
4. Syria: Independent investigation into protest deaths needed [Internet]. [cited 2018 Jan 6];Available from: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/syria-independent-investigation-protest-deaths-needed
5. المجند المنشق وليد القشعمي من الحرس الجمهوري English subtitles - YouTube [Internet]. [cited 2018 Jan 6];Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U1o7a2Y5-Q
6. Sly L. In Syria, defectors form dissident army in sign uprising may be entering new phase [Internet]. Wash. Post. 2011 [cited 2018 Jan 6];Available from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/in-syria-defectors-form-dissident-army-in-sign-uprising-may-be-entering-new-phase/2011/09/24/gIQAKef8wK_story.html
7. The worst humanitarian crisis since World War II [Internet]. PBS NewsHour. 2015 [cited 2018 Jan 6];Available from: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/worst-humanitarian-crisis-since-world-war-ii
8. Rights SNFH. 6,517 Individuals Arrested in Syria in 2017 [Internet]. Syr. Netw. Hum. Rights. 2018 [cited 2018 Jan 6];Available from: http://sn4hr.org/blog/2018/01/03/50348/
9. Syria: Promised Aid for Key Areas Blocked [Internet]. ReliefWeb. [cited 2018 Jan 6];Available from: https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/syria-promised-aid-key-areas-blocked