Genocide in Syria
B Y. L U K E E L L I S A N D G R A C E S O L I N I
The Cause (or 2011)
• The Syrian crisis began in early 2011 when Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad began a brutal crackdown on growing peaceful protests
throughout the country. This included the use of tanks, attack
helicopters, and artillery against protesters and the torture and
execution of children, protests spread and opposition groups took up
arms.
• The attacks and counter-attacks escalated into a full-fledged civil war
between the Assad regime with allied militias and an array of
opposition groups.
• ****Conflict between democracy protesters and Assad’s supporters has
escalated into a religious war as well, with Sunni majority battling
against the president’s Shia Alawite sect
– Jihadist groups (Islamic State) have arisen and added more complexity
• http://endgenocide.org/conflict-areas/syria-backgrounder/
The Sides
The Government
The Rebels
Genocide Watch warns that
massacres and mass atrocities
against pro-democracy protesters and
the civilian population are being
committed by Syrian security forces
under the command of the al-Assad
government. Protests turned violent
as former Syrian troops defected and
formed the “Free Syrian Army,” which
the Syrian government continues to
call a “terrorist” organization to
justify its all out war against the
rebels and Sunni Muslim civilians.
What began as the violent repression
of civilian protests has escalated to a
civil war.
Protests turned violent as former
Syrian troops defected and formed
the “Free Syrian Army,” which the
Syrian government continues to call a
“terrorist” organization to justify its
all out war against the rebels and
Sunni Muslim civilians. What began
as the violent repression of civilian
protests has escalated to a civil war.
http://www.genocidewatch.org/syria.html
Timeline: 2011
• March: pro-democracy protests take place across the country. The military
intervenes on protests in Damascus, Banias, and Deraa,.
• April/May: Protests calling for the regime downfall strengthen and spread.
Military intervention becomes more extreme (hundreds killed). The US
imposes sanctions on Assad and Syrian officials for human rights abuse
• August: hundreds are killed in an assault on Hama by Syrian security forces.
The US, France, Britain, Germany and the EU demand the resignation of
Assad. The Syrian National Council is formed (first coalition of groups
seeking to end Assad’s rule)
• October/November: US pulls ambassadors out of Syria. The Arab League
approves sanctions against Syria in order to end military action.
• December: first major attack in the heart of the capital (car-bombs): al-Qaeda
is blamed. Syrian security forces fire on anti-government protestors in Hama.
2012: Massacres and failure of diplomacy
• January: Jabhat al-Nusra, a branch of al-Qaeda in Syria, is created
(has been designated as a terrorist organization by multipole
countries)
• February: Resolutions that call for the resignation of Assad are vetoed
by China and Russia. Syrian holds referendum on a new constitution,
but the vote is dismissed by unconvinced citizens.
• May: military forces massacre over 100 people in Houla village (many
were children). Assad is accused of war crimes by the UN
• June/July: attack against National Security by rebels kills the defense
minister and his deputy. Syrian threatens to unleash chemical and
biological weapons if the country faces foreign attack.
• November: rebels form the Syrian National Coalition
2013: Chemical attacks and rebel infighting
• April: Leader of Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS) announces that
Jabhat al-Nursa is an extension of al-Qaeda
• May/June: European Union ends its embargo on sending
weapons to help rebels and Obama authorizes sending weapons
after US receives evidence of small scale chemical warfare by
Assad’s government.
• Assad regime uses chemical weapons in Damascus suburbs,
killing hundreds of civilians. US decides to take military action
against Syria.
• September/October: Syria agrees to move all chemical weapons
under international control in order to avoid US military strike.
2014: Failed Peace attempts and election
• January/Februarys: United Nations holds a series of peace talks in Geneva. Agreement between
groups fails to be met.
• The rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) has further complicated the conflict and brought in a new
level of barbarity that has prompted air strikes by both the Syrian regime and the United States
and its allies.
• June: Syria holds presidential election in government-held areas. ISIS establishes a new
“caliphate”, naming Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi caliph and formally changing their name to “Islamic
State”.
• July: UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution on Syria allowing aid convoys to go
into rebel-held areas without government approval.
• ISIS kills non-extremist Muslims, and Christians on a regular basis.
http://endgenocide.org/conflict-areas/syria-backgrounder/
The Struggle Continues
• Starting in August of 2013, the
regime started to use chemical
attacks on civilians.
• The death toll has reached over
240,000 and almost half the
country’s people — 12 million
men, women and children —
have been forced to flee their
homes. The majority of civilians
have been killed at the hands of
the Assad regime, which has
targeted schools and medical
centers with crude barrel
bombs.
2015-2016 (presently)
• 2015:
– September: Russia deployed fighter jets, helicopters, surface-to-air missiles, and
about 2,000 military personnel to Syria and began an air campaign to support
the regime of the President Bashar al-Assad
– October: Obama authorized the deployment of fifty US Special Operations
ground forces to aid in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). The United
Nations begins an attempt to oversee a transition of power.
– November: Islamic State ushers a series of terrorist attacks on Paris; France
expanded its airstrikes in Syria and the United Kingdom launched an air
campaign targeting the Islamic State.
• 2016:
– January: The U.N envoy announced the official start of peace talks between
Syrian government and the opposition leaders (in Geneva).
Pledge to End Genocide
We have the obligation to recognize and stop genocide as moral
people. Its all our job to prevent these atrocities.
PICTURES
Other Sources
• http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29052144
• http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-21797661
• http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26116868
• http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2012/02/201225111654512841.html
• http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/02/02/world/middleeast/ap-syria.html?_r=0
• http://www.cfr.org/global/global-conflict-tracker/p32137#!/conflict/civil-war-in-syria
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