"It's like a terrifying nightmare that just keeps going on and on. You live everyday as if it's your last because you might die any second"
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Nationwide protests throughout Syria began in March 2011 as more and more protesters took to the streets demanding that President Bashar al-Assad resigns to make way for a democratic reformation. Assad's government fought back with military force which has turned into a bloody and extremely violent civil war that is still ongoing today. Fighting between the military and the rebel forces has spread to the capital of Damascus. In March 2012 Red Cross officially declared this a civil war. By 2013 over 100 000 civilians had been killed and Assad still refuses to resign.
The United Nations Commission of Inquiry has investigated the human rights violations and says both sides have committed war crimes. The situation worsened in August 2013 when Assad's military used chemical weapons against his own people killing over 1200 people. |
This civil war has led to an international refugee crisis in which millions have been displaced within Syria and over 2 million have fled to to neighbouring countries including Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq. Some refugees were scattered as far as North America.
Syria has a population estimate of 22 million as of July 2013 and approximately 12% of the population are supporters of Assad. |
Both Assad's government and the people of Syria have committed war crimes against each other in this brutal civil war fuelled by ultranationalism. President Assad says he is fighting back foreign backed terrorists in Syria. Civilians say they want to live in peace but overthrow Assad's dictatorship. Many forms of ultranationalism have erupted in Syria from both sides resulting in a brutal civil war.