Syria: Wars Within Wars

This is the tale of a tragic nation where the innocent citizens are losing their lives every day due to the ongoing wars. The people began with a clear goal but ended up in a deadly situation. The intricacies of this conflict can be grasped through a few key aspects –

1. A protest was inspired by events of “Arab Spring” revolt of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. But the same Arab Spring magic seems to completely fail here. In April 2011, this peaceful protest was against suppression of voice, dictatorship, corruption, and unemployment and turned into a bloody shooting of the innocent protesters. But the very purpose of war has turned into a tertiary war now.
2. The forces fighting here are rebels (the common people of this country), terrorist groups, Kurds, vested interest nations, and the ruling government of Syria.
3. Some nations are not really sure why they are fighting—like the USA, Russia, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. It was not required for them to participate, but they landed in war to counter others’ influence.
4. Taking advantage of unrest, Syrian Kurds are fighting for independent Kurdistan.
5. Turkey is fighting to suppress the Kurds’ revolt in NE Syria so that it does not invoke the Turkish Kurds’ revolt.
6. The main terrorist groups fighting are Jafaat Al Nusra (Al Qaeda branch), ISIS, Hezbollah (Lebanon), and the Kurdish PKK and YPG. The UNO designated them terrorists.
7. The government army (Syrian Army) is fighting with its own people (Free Syrian Army).
8. In spite of 400,000 deaths, 5 million refugees, and 4 million displaced within the region, the president of the country, Bashar Al Assad, refrains from resignation.
9. Ignoring the national interest and future, President Bashar Al Assad has been inviting all kinds of foreign powers to quell the voice.
10. As per some experts, it is a Shia-Sunni war. Sunnis are 74%; Shia 13%.
11. The UN seems to be a spectator in this war as superpowers are in this game.

It is a blind, ruthless, selfish, and ego war. Some are fighting because they are mercenaries or radical terrorists (Al Nusra, ISIS, PKK, YPG, Hezbollah); others fight to counter others’ influence (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar) or get a warm water port (Russia, Iran) or get independence (Kurds) or due to fear of revolt (Turkey). Some fight because power is more important for them than democracy, and so-called rebels (common men) fight to get freedom from dictatorship, corruption, and unemployment.

Event 1- Start of War, March, 2011. The silent protest starts with a boy painting a wall with a slogan. He is caught by the govt., imprisoned, and tortured. Public fury rises, and mass protests start. These protesters are designated rebels. This protest was inspired by “Arab Spring” success in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, and Libya, where they were able to topple dictator governments. Now is the turn of Syria. But the fate of this protest turned into one of the endless bloody wars. The Syrian Army (ruling government military) starts firing bullets on protesters and imprisons and tortures the rebels.

Event 2 – Moved by the atrocities some army officiers of Syrian Army form Free Syrian Army in July, 2011. They get arms and ammunition from extremists and even manufacture in country itself.

Event 3 – Assad Govt deliberately allows the terrorists to help rebels to mislead the world that they are terrorists.

Event 4 – In 2012 an Al-Queda branch Jafaat-Al-Nusra starts helping rebels. Assad refuses to give citizenship to Kurd majority Rajova region (N-E Syria) and therefore the Kurds come full-fledged against Assad. The consequence now is Syrian Army (government) has to fight on two fronts—one against Rebels and another against Kurds.

Event 5 – Bashar-Al Assad is not able to cope this war on two fronts. Iran comes to rescue. Iran introduces its terrorist group Hezbolla in May, 2012. This makes Asad position strong against Rebels.

Event 6 – As Iran enters the arena, Gulf countries Saudi Arab and Qatar start helping rebels through Turkey to curtail Iran influence.

Event 7 – Rebels occupy Aleppo, Homs, and Damascus. In order to take these cities back, the Syrian Army retreats back from Rajova, and this gives the Kurds the opportunity to occupy the Rajova region (NE Kurd majority region). Kurds make up the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the People’s Protection Unit (YPG), and the Syrian Democratic Front (SDF) a name given to the Kurdish Army.

Event 8 – Since rebels have weakened due to the Hezbollah terror group, Saudi Arabia and Qatar start helping the rebels through Jordan. Now the whole war polarizes as Shia-Sunni. Sunni helping the Assad Govt and Shia helping rebel fighters. Assad is Shia, while the majority of Syria is Sunni.

Event 9 – April, 2013. USA decides to give finance and arms help to rebels.

Event 10- Aug, 2013. Assad uses chemical weapons against rebels. The world condemns the act. Due to this act USA prepares to bomb Syria, but Russia strongly objects, saying that chemical weapons are already surrendered to the international body by the Syrian government.

Event 11 – Feb, 2014. ISIS enters Syria to help rebels. USA is NOW adamant about sweeping out ISIS and wages all out air attacks on ISIS and rebels who were helping ISIS. Now the war equations get much more complicated.

Event 12- Meanwhile, Turkey is worried to see a Kurdish stronghold in the Rajova region. Turkey fears that if the Kurds freedom movement is not stopped, it may instigate the Turkish Kurds to form an independent state. But Turkey is in a dilemma since Syrian Kurds are helping the USA in the fight with ISIS.

Event 13 – Worried due to USA involvement, Russia forces airbases and naval ships in Syria. Russia is killing ISIS but USA accuses that Russia is killing even the rebels who are helping USA against ISIS. Russia involved just because USA entered,

Event 14- In 2016, the USA decides to withdraw from Syria, an unexpected and sudden move. Meanwhile, Assad and Russia repel rebels from their stronghold, Aleppo. Kurds also become weaker due to the sudden withdrawal of USA. Turkey is not in a dilemma now. Turkey chases Kurds out of the Rajova region so that Turkey can make a free zone in Rajova for Kurdish refugees.

Event 15- In 2017, the Assad government uses chemical weapons such as chlorine, mustard, and phosphorous bombs. 85 people are killed. Infuriated, the USA starts air attacks again. Russia increases enforcement in Syria. Russia claims that chemical weapons are not used by Assad.

Event 16- Now the fight against ISIS is top priority, and the very purpose of the 2011 protest, the seed, is forgotten. Now Syria is occupied by different powers: rebels, ISIS, Kurds, Syrian Army, Turkey.

Event 17- 2019. Syrian-Russian military condemns indiscriminate US attacks on civilians and civilian.

Epilogue

More than 400,000 have died because of the Syrian conflict since 2011, with 5 million seeking refugee abroad and over 6 million displaced internally, but President Bashar Al Assad has not conceded. The foreign powers, terrorist groups, and Kurds continue to shed blood. This objectiveless war is turning out as war just for war and war within wars. The sufferers are common men, children, and women of Syria and, of course, the whole world. UNO is silent and helpless.

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