syrian civil war notes
introduction
The Syrian civil war, also known as the Syrian uprising or Syrian crisis is an ongoing armed conflict in Syria between forces loyal to the Ba'ath government and those seeking to oust it. The conflict began on 15 March 2011, with popular demonstrations that grew nationwide by April 2011. These demonstrations were part of the wider Middle Eastern protest movement known as the Arab Spring. Protesters demanded the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad, whose family held the presidency in Syria since 1971, as well as the end of Ba'ath Party rule, which began in 1963.
In April 2011, the Syrian Army was deployed to quell the uprising, and soldiers fired on demonstrators across the country. After months of military sieges the protests evolved into an armed rebellion. Opposition forces, mainly composed of defected soldiers and civilian volunteers, resisted without central leadership. The conflict is asymmetrical, with clashes taking place in many towns and cities across the country. Late 2011 marked growing influence of the Islamist group al-Nusra Front within the opposition forces. In 2013 Hezbollah entered the war in support of the Syrian army.[The Syrian government is further upheld by military support from Russia and Iran, while Qatar and Saudi Arabia transfer weapons to the rebels. By July 2013, the Syrian government controls approximately 30–40 percent of the country's territory and 60 percent of the Syrian population. In late 2012 UN report described the conflict as "overtly sectarian in nature" between Alawite shabiha militias and other Shia groups fighting largely against Sunni-dominated rebel groups, though both opposition and government forces denied that.
In June 2013, the death toll surpassed 100,000 according to the United Nations.
In addition, tens of thousands of protesters have been imprisoned and there are reports of widespread torture and terror in state prisons. International organizations have accused both government and opposition forces of severe human rights violations. UN inspections and probes in Syria have determined that the Syrian government's abuses are highest in frequency and largest in scale. Chemical weapons have been used in Syria on more than one occasion, triggering strong international reactions. Causes of the Syrian civil war

Religious resentment

The Assad family comes from the minority Alawite religious group, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam that comprises an estimated 12 percent of the total Syrian population. It has maintained tight control on Syria's security services, generating resentment among some Sunni Muslims, a sect that makes up about three-quarters of Syria's population. Ethnic minority Syrian Kurds have also protested and complained over ethnic discrimination and denial of their cultural and language rights.

Socioeconomic factors

Discontent was strongest in the poorer areas. rural areas were hit hard by the drought of 2011.the situation started to aggravate by the introduction of free market policies by hafiz-ul assad,father and former president of Syria. these policies facilitated only those in contact with government of sunni merchants. By 2011, Syria was facing a deterioration in the national standard of living and steep rises in the prices of commodities. The country also faced particularly high youth unemployment rates.

Human rights violation

Bashar al-Assad is widely regarded to have been unsuccessful in implementing democratic change, with a 2010 report from Human Rights Watch stating that he had failed to substantially improve the state of human rights since taking power, although some minor aspects had seen improvement. Rights of free expression, association and assembly were strictly controlled in Syria even before the uprising. The authorities harass and imprison human rights activists and other critics of the government, who are often times indefinitely detained and tortured in poor prison conditions. Women and ethnic minorities have faced discrimination in the public sector. Thousands of Syrian Kurds were denied citizenship in 1962 and their descendants continued to be labeled as "foreigners".

Domino’s effect

In December 2010, mass anti-government protests began in Tunisia and later spread across the Arab world, including Syria. By February 2011, revolutions occurred in Tunisia and Egypt, while Libya began to experience its own civil war. Numerous other Arab countries also faced protests, with some attempting to calm the masses by making concessions and governmental changes.

Syria and the use of chemical weapons

The Syrian government has been accused of conducting several chemical attacks, the most serious of them being the 2013 Ghouta attacks.
The rebels have also been accused of conducting several chemical attacks, the most serious of which was the Khan al-Assal chemical attack. (19 th march 2013)
On 29 April, another chemical attack was reported, this time in Saraqib, in which 2 died and 13 were injured. French intelligence acquired blood, urine, earth and munitions samples from victims or sites of attacks on Saraqeb. The analysis carried out confirms the use of sarin.
On 13 June, the United States announced that there is definitive proof that the Assad government has used limited amounts of chemical weapons on multiple occasions on rebel forces, killing 100 to 150 people.
On 21 August, Syrian activists reported that Assad regime forces struck Eastern Ghouta region with chemical weapons. At least 635 people were killed in a nerve gas attack. The Ghouta chemical attacks were confirmed after a three week investigation conducted by the UN, who also confirmed the main agent used in the chemical attacks was sarin gas.
On September 9 Russia urged Syria to put its' chemical weapons stockpile under international control. The initiative was expressed in the wake of American threat of attacking Syria after the chemical attack of August 21. On September 14, US and Russia announced in Geneva that they reached a deal on how Assad should give up his chemical weapons.

Effect of Syrian civil war

Death toll
On 2 January 2013, the United Nations stated that 60,000 had been killed since the civil war began,
refugee
The violence in Syria has caused millions to flee their homes. In August 2012, the United Nations said more than one million people were internally displaced and in September 2013, the UN reported that more than 6.5 million Syrians had been displaced,
Human rights violation
Human rights violations have been committed by both the government and the rebels. UN investigations have concluded that the government's abuses are the greatest in both gravity and scale
Economy
By July 2013, the Syrian economy has shrunk 45 percent since the start of the conflict. Unemployment increased fivefold, the value of the Syrian currency decreased to one-sixth its pre-war value, and the public sector lost 15 billion US dollars.
Crime wave
As the conflict has expanded across Syria, many cities have been engulfed in a wave of crime as fighting caused the disintegration of much of the civilian state, and many police stations stopped functioning. Rates of thievery increased, with criminals looting houses and stores. Rates of kidnappings increased as well.
Cultural heritage
The civil war has caused significant damage to Syria's cultural heritage, including World Heritage Sites. Destruction of antiquities has been caused by shelling, army entrenchment and looting at various tells, museums, and monuments.