Syrian Crisis
Syrian Crisis is the most severe crisis in the contemporary world scenario. It is a crisis which started against the regime of an autocratic rular Bashar-Al-Assad. A kind of revolution by the people of the Syria against the autocractic regime, to have a well-established democracy. We can consider it as the extension of Arab Spring, that erupted first in the North African State of Tunisia.
In this crisis, approximately 450,00o, Syrians have lost their lives in 5years. More than 10millions of people have been forced to become refugees. People of the war zone country are seeking asylum in the other neighbouring countries. So, because of this, the world is facing an acute Migration Crisis.
The Refugee crisis in Europe can be considered as the consequence of the Syrian Crisis. The Syrian Crisis is also one of the main reasons for the Brexit movement i.e. Britain’s exit from the European Union. And one of the most dangerous outcomes of this crisis was the rise of the Islamic States of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). So, here we will start to read the painful story of the Syrian Crisis below headings.
The eruption of the Syrian Crisis
The crisis in Syria began after a small protest in the Syrian city of Deraa. It was a pro-democracy protest against the authoritative regime. In March 2011, some students painted anti-government graffiti in the school. They also wrote some anti-government slogans there. Approximately 15 students were arrested by government forces.
From here starts the story of the civil war in Syria. Locals of the Deraa city decided to go for a protest opposing the arrest of the students. Though the protest was peaceful initially. But in response, the Assad regime on 18th March 2011 issued a decree to open fire on the protesters. So, the Army opened fired on protesters, which led to the killing of 4 protesters.
And this episode gave the spark to the fuel that was till now burning inside of the people.
Start of Civil War
Soon, after this episode, the opposition party of Syria took the arms against the national security forces. Some Syrian troops also denied obeying the order of Syrian President Assad, they called themselves as Free Syrian Army. So, the Free Syrian Army joined the side of rebels and this gave ignition to the civil war.
These rebels were getting support from the other extremist states of the middle east region. The Gulf States, Turkey, Jordan, etc. supported the rebels to get arms and ammunition. Also, in 2012 Al-Qaeda opened its Syrian branch named Al-Nusra.
Syrian civil war is also the war between the two sects of Islam. On the one side, Syria is a country with the majority of the population belonging to the Sunni sect of Islam. But the other side Shia is the ruling regime in the Syria. Bashar-Al-Assad regime is getting support from the Shiite population of Syria. So, it is actually an extension of war between Sunni and Shia sects of Islam.
So, presently there are four major groups that were fighting in the Syria for their own interest. These major groups are,
- Assad Regime: Backed by Russia, Hezbollah (Shi’a Islamist militant group based in Lebanon) and Iran.
- Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
- Kurds: Backed by the United States of America.
- Rebels: Backed by the USA, Turkey, Gulf States, and Jordan.
Let us know something about Kurds here before we dwell into the Syrian Crisis.
Kurds
Kurds are one of the many ethnic groups of the middle east region. They are residing in the area of the North-Eastern Syria and South-Eastern Turkey. The Kurds people are fighting for having an independent autonomous Kurds State, as they are the fourth-largest ethnic group of middle-east. So, after the eruption of the Syrian civil war, the Kurds also started their movement to secede from Syria.
Role of Iran, Turkey, and the Gulf States
Iran is the all weather ally of Assad’s regime. Because Iran is also a Shia-dominated state. Hezbollah, which is a Lebanese Shia group, which is getting support from the Iran. So, Hezbollah also helped Assad Regime to fight against the Rebels.
The Gulf States started sending money and arms and ammunition to the rebels via Jordan and Turkey (as shown in the figure).
The Gulf States are Sunni supporting States so they are always keen to get a reason to propel Sunni majority against Shia. To counter the influence of Iran in Syria the Gulf States provided pseudo-militant support to the Rebels in Syria.
So, every state of middle-east is involved directly or indirectly in the Syrian Civil War. And this is the only reason because of which this war extended to this severity level.
Use of Chemical Weapons
In 2013, use of Chemical Weapon against the civilian was reported in Ghouta, Syria. The United Nations Human Rights Commission report in 2014 stated that significant quantities of Sarin, a colourless, odourless organophosphorus liquid, used as a chemical weapon. It was used in a well-planned indiscriminate attack targeting civilian-inhabited areas. This Chemical Weapon attack caused severe mass casualties.
After this incident all the world powers contempt this act of Assad’s regime. The United States accused Syrian regime but Russia and Syrian regime accused rebels for the attack. Russia supported Syrian regime and this was the cause of contention between the Unites States.
But there is the reason that Russia is consistently supporting the Bashar-Al-Assad regime in Syria. Russia has its own interest in Tartus Syrian Port, which is located on the southwestern coast of Syria. This seaport provides access to the Russian naval ships to have access to the Mediterranean sea and the rest of the western world. So, the intervention of the United States and Russia in this Syrian crisis also can be seen as the Cold War effect.
US Bombing on Syria Averted
On 6th September 2013, the United States Senate filed a resolution to authorize the use of military force against the Syrian military in response to the Ghouta Chemical Weapon attack. But soon after 4 days, on 10th September 2013, the United States and Russia negotiated a deal that was accepted by the Syrian Government. So, on 10th September 2013, the United States averted military intervention in Syria.
According to this negotiation, the Syrian Regime committed to destruct every single bit of its Chemical Weapon stockpiles. And the Syrian government also declared its intention to join the Chemical Weapon Convention.
Rise of ISIS
At the beginning of 2014, an Al-Qaeda affiliated, Iraq-based militant group, break away from Al-Qaeda and formed the Islamic States of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). This terrorist militant group is fighting with the Kurds and Rebels in Syria. Though ISIS militants are not fighting against the Syrian Regime still they are creating a havoc situation in Syria for the civilian population.
This group is also the biggest threat in the middle-eastern region having its influence in Central Asia also. In June 2014 ISIS declared their agenda to revive Islam in this modern age proclaiming itself as the worldwide Caliphate. Due to this increasing threat of ISIS, the United States once again got the opportunity to interfere in the Syrian crisis.
In September 2014, the United States began airstrikes in Syria against ISIS. The United States is also providing aid to the rebels of the Syrian government to fight against ISIS.
Syrian Crisis: Post-2015 Scenario
After the airstrikes in Syria, the United States also asked Turkey to help rebels to fight against ISIS. But Turkey is having its own concerns in this Syrian Crisis. The Southeastern region of Turkey is inhabited by the Kurds. Kurds are desiring an autonomous Kurdish State and want to break away from Turkey. So, to control Kurdish rebels Turkey in August 2015 started bombing in the Kurdish region.
As we know that the United States was providing support to the Kurdish people as they too were fighting against ISIS. So, the relation between Turkey and the United States also got strained after this bombing. Turkey is more actively fighting with the Kurdish insurgents instead of fighting against ISIS.
In September 2015, Russia started its bombing campaign against ISIS and rebel groups in Syria. In October 2015, the United States scrapped its controversial program to train the Syrian rebel groups.
Syrian Crisis: 2016 Situation
On 26th November 2016, the Syrian Army launched a military campaign in the Aleppo, the ancient city of Syria. They successfully recaptured 90% of the Aleppo. In this campaign, the Russian Air Force also helped the Syrian Army. Besides Aleppo, the Syrian government also re-acquired its control over the Capital Damascus, Southern part of Syria, North-Western Coastal Region, Deir-Az Zor, the area near the Syria-Lebanon border. But the rest of the area is under the control of rebel groups, ISIS and Kurdish forces.
Consequences of the Syrian Crisis
War, whether it is the Civil War, World War or any kind of war are not good for any civilization. So, the Syrian Crisis is also not an exception. It also cost the lives of many innocent people, children. And the most important outcome of this crisis is many of the people have become a refugee and seeking asylum in the countries all around the world :(.
The dichotomy of this crisis is that the powers which are providing arms and ammunition to the rebel groups are merely talking about to establish peace in this region. But one should not forget that once A.J. Muste (1885-1967) said,
There is no way to peace; peace is the way.
Conclusion
All the interventions of the world powers in the Syrian Crisis deteriorated the situation for the survival of the civilian population of Syria. Because one can see that all the superpowers are fighting for their own interest in this region. They do not have any concerns regarding the weary condition of the innocent people there.
Everyone is fighting for peace? But it should be known that peace can be achieved only when one is ready to surrender its weapon. Peace can not be achieved through the sword, it can only be achieved through the Roses.
Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.
-Albert Einstein
To establish peace in this region, all the stakeholders of this Syrian Crisis have to take their weapons out of this region then only there can be peace.
Though the situations are far much better in the present time. But it will surely take ages to heal the wounds of the people after this crisis. And the biggest issue is to overcome the migration crisis in the world.
Human Beings, indeed all sentient beings, have the right to pursue happiness and live in peace and freedom.
— The XIVth Dalai Lama.
Thank you so much. 🙂 Stay Connected. 🙂
