By. Luke Ellis and Grace solini Genocide in Syria By. Luke Ellis and Grace solini

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 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. The Rebels 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