Why is there war in Syria at all?
In 2011 the so-called Arab Spring began. This also found its way into Syria and people protested against a government that had oppressed them for many years and demanded more rights, for example the right to be able to express one’s opinion freely.
But the government reacted violently in Syria. Here it did not happen that the dictators were chased away, as in other countries such as Egypt or Tunisia, but the ruling President Bashar al-Assad countered the initially peaceful demonstrations of many people with the force of his military.
Where is the most dangerous city in the world?
The probably most dangerous city in the world is located in the north of Syria and is called Aleppo. This city is mentioned again and again in the news when it comes to destruction, deaths and refugees. Many people in Aleppo live without running water and without electricity. This is particularly bad in winter because there is no heating either. And it can get really cold in Aleppo. Many children first have to run to the water pump in the morning to get water. In the evening they have to repeat that. There is almost no hot water.
And how is it heated?
People burn pretty much anything they find. There are also many things that shouldn’t be burned because burning them produces toxic carbon dioxide, such as plastic bags. This can be very dangerous for children. But often the cold is unbearable and people are so desperate that they burn everything.
Is there electricity?
In many areas there is only a few hours of electricity, so even bread can no longer be baked. A bread costs many times what it cost before the war. Most of the bakeries have now been destroyed.
Is there help for people?
Many aid deliveries made by non-profit aid organizations do not even reach the residents. Some cities are completely cut off because rescuers are denied entry. Many people want to help, but cannot. Again and again one tries to enforce a short-term armistice, which then breaks one side again.
It has even got so far that trucks were attacked by aid organizations and the helpers died in the process. As a result, outside help was also stopped. This is a situation for which there is no solution yet. Even with the temporary armistice, no one can be sure whether they will last. A peace solution that delivers what it promises has not yet been found.
Why aren’t the other states helping?
This question is not that easy to answer. Because the war had expanded so far that it was difficult to distinguish who should actually be supported. As bad as the dictator Assad is, because he lets his own population be bombed, the opponents of the war also act cruelly and often brutally against the people.
Many states were and still are afraid of interfering here. Ultimately, that would mean sending soldiers into a war in which you don’t really know which side you really want to fight on. To this day, the countries only agree on the question that they want to fight IS (Islamic State). But there are also states that support IS, or at least have supported it for a long time.
Why is there no truce?
There have been several attempts to enforce a ceasefire in Syria, at least for a short time. But there is still no valid solution. The great powers USA and Russia must agree on this. And that is exactly what they are not, rather they blame the other side.
Russia still supports the Syrian government, the USA and other countries support the rebel groups, but these too have very different interests. Everyone would have to agree to a permanent ceasefire, but this requires some insight. There are now attempts again between the United States and Russia to broker a ceasefire in parts of Syria. Check areacodesexplorer to see more articles about this country and Middle East.
Life in a refugee camp
In the following video you can take a quick look at a refugee camp where Syrian children play soccer. The camp is in Turkey. Turkey borders on Syria and has taken in a large number of refugees from there. It is important that the children also have something to do in the camps. You see how people live under very simple conditions in the tents that an aid organization has set up. Take a look inside a tent and meet a Syrian family.
Current situation in Syria
Why is there war in Syria?
In the following video you can find out who is actually fighting whom in Syria and why it is a so-called “proxy war”. The video describes the situation as it was at the end of 2018. However, things can change quickly in Syria. At this point the situation was stuck. The so-called Islamic State seemed to have been pushed back and the government troops of dictator Assad were on the upswing with the support of Russia and Iran, but there was still no real peace, as the various interest groups had not yet been able to agree. There was also much less media coverage of Syria than in previous years.
At the end of 2018, the German government decided not to send back Syrians who had found protection in Germany until the situation had calmed down.
Situation in Syria in 2020
There will be no end to the conflict in 2020 either, with fighting between the Assad government, remaining resistance groups and Islamists being limited to a region in the northwest, the area around Idlib. Otherwise, Syrian President Al-Assad has the country largely under his control and is using his secret services to use force against anyone who is still resisting in any way. They are arrested, tortured or murdered, as the ruler likes. There is a discussion in Germany as to whether one could not deport back to Syria or “lead back” because there would be no real war anymore.
The Syrian ruler Assad is supported by Russia and Iran. The country urgently needs economic support, perhaps also from Europe. But Europe demands security and it has not yet existed.
