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Syria's war: Who is fighting and why [Updated]

"After four-plus years of fighting, Syria's war has killed at least hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions. And, though it started as a civil war, it's become much more than that. It's a proxy war that has divided much of the Middle East, and has drawn in both Russia and the United States. To understand how Syria got to this place, it helps to start at the beginning and watch it unfold."

Stevie-Rae Wood's curator insight, October 28, 2018 9:37 PM
The war in Syria has been devastating to Syrian's inhabitants. After six years of this conflict it has become a mess and is divided into four sections or groups, all backed different foreign backers. The backers have know become so confused on who there fighting for and what there fighting for, that is how messy this war has gotten. The use of chemical warfare has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions. As to why there is a major Syrian refugee crisis. The conflict started as an internal war against Assad and rebels. This small civil war has know turned into a global conflict. I wish I could say what foreign countries are backing who and why but the lines are very blurred and there has been many back stabbing. All these foreign powers entering this war has established Syria as a great power dispute. The Assad and rebels conflict also brew the other two sections that are fighting in this region the Kurds who want their own nation. The Kurds are the largest cultural and ethnic group without a country. The entrance of the Kurds in the fighting brought in more foreign countries to either support their efforts or squash the Kurds hopes of obtaining a nation of there own. Then you have ISIS who formed as a branch out of the original rebels because there was an internal dispute. Overall this war is bloody and will never end if all these four sections cant come to an agreement. If there is no determination for peace there will never be peace.
David Stiger's curator insight, October 31, 2018 6:59 PM
Hearing about the news in Syria is usually tragic and frustrating. It is also equally confusing and this video helped to sort out its causes and important transformations over time. Even with the video's succinct explanation, the conflict is still a quagmire to understand. The fighting began during the 2011 Arab Spring when peaceful Syrian protesters were gunned down by Assad's military forces. Instead of backing down and caving into the violent repression, the Syrian civilians retaliated with small arms fire and were joined by Syrian army defectors. The now belligerent protesters formed their own rebel army, causing Syria to erupt into a civil war. Then Islamic extremists, including a terrorist groups, joined the rebels. Countries like Turkey and Jordan began funding and arming the rebels while Iran - a Shiite country - provided support to Assad. Appalled by the out-of-control death toll, the United States began training and arming the rebels - some of whom were from Al Qaeda! Assad's chemical weapons attack escalated U.S. involvement while Russia came to the side of Assad. Putin most likely supports Assad to maintain its lease of a key geographic asset - a warm-water naval base -while also discouraging internal rebellion. At some point a group of ethnic Kurds in northern Syria succeeded (Putin's fear) and began attacking Assad. But, Turkey started attacking the Kurds! Then in 2014 ISIS broke away from Al Qaeda and started attacking the Kurds and the rebels prompting the U.S. to redirect its focus away from the Assad regime. This has to be the messiest conflict in modern history and is entirely defined by proxy wars. Because the war is so convoluted and complicated, there is no end in sight. The relentless destruction over years has caused millions of refugees to flee to Europe because it is the closest stable place to Syria. This unprecedented wave of migrations will surely transform Europe and cripple Syria in the long run.  
Corey Rogers's curator insight, December 15, 2018 12:18 AM
Syria's war has gotten crazier and crazier and doesn't seem like there is a end in sight. The insane cross fighting between outside countries and the inner working of independence inside Syria itself is still an issue. A local protest has turned into an international fight against top countries of US and Russia.
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Introducing ISIS

"The invasion of Iraq was supposed to turn the country into a democracy that posed no threat to the United States, or the rest of the world. Thirteen years later, Iraq has collapsed into three warring states. A third of the country is controlled by ISIS, who have also taken huge amounts of territory in Syria. VICE correspondent Ben Anderson gains exclusive access to the three front lines in Iraq, where Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish forces are fighting for their lives. Anderson visits with the Russian military forces in Syria, meets captured ISIS fighters in Kurdistan, and interviews US policymakers about how the situation in Iraq spun out of control."

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How Syria Ruined the Arab Spring

How Syria Ruined the Arab Spring | Human Interest | Scoop.it
How Syria Ruined the Arab Spring « | Foreign Policy | the Global Magazine of News and Ideas
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Looting and Conflict: The ISIS Antiquities Pipeline

Looting and Conflict: The ISIS Antiquities Pipeline | Human Interest | Scoop.it

"Since the outbreak of the civil war in Syria in 2011, ISIS has looted ancient sites, using the plunder to help finance its operations."

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Putin: Turkey's downing of jet a 'stab in the back'

Putin: Turkey's downing of jet a 'stab in the back' | Human Interest | Scoop.it
Russian warplane crashes in Latakia province in Syria and two pilots seen ejecting from the aircraft.
Benjamin Jackson's curator insight, December 13, 2015 4:48 PM

it is truly insane that turkey would shoot down a Russian jet engaging anyone in Syria, especially when the Turks are shooting at the Kurds, who are fighting the people that the Turks claim to hate. this is especially troubling, as Turkey is a part of NATO and may drag the rest of the NATO nations into any war they start.

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Who is fighting whom in Syria?

"There has been an intense wave of Russian air strikes in two areas of Syria, activists say. Moscow says it is targeting jihadist groups like Islamic State in co-ordination with Syria's government. But NATO is worried some of the attacks are hitting rebel groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad - some of whom are backed by the West. So just who is fighting whom in Syria?"


Via Mike Busarello's Digital Storybooks
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Infographic: The Syrian conflict

Infographic: The Syrian conflict | Human Interest | Scoop.it
Syria's civil war has inflicted a humanitarian crisis, expansive exodus of the population and a severe death toll. New Internationalist presents the facts in this zoomable infograph.

 

Tags: infographic, Syria, migration, political, refugees.


Via Mike Busarello's Digital Storybooks
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Sryrian Migrants On Greek Island Of Kos

A Greek police officer brandished a knife and slapped a migrant while others sprayed fire extinguishers to break up crowds of migrants and asylum seekers on the Greek island of Kos. The UNHCR is calling the migrant crisis a “humanitarian emergency.”

Via Mike Busarello's Digital Storybooks
Fred Issa's curator insight, September 9, 2015 3:05 PM

Where is the United Nations in wave after wave of human tragedy? People leaving their homes with the clothes on their back, many dying before journeys end. Quiet Greek Islands are overwhelmed by the tens of thousands of people fleeing from ISIS and war. These poor people have no food, little or no money, and less hope that they are going to be able to reach some safe haven for their families. Fred Issa

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After horrors of Syria, refugees start life anew in Germany – interactive

After horrors of Syria, refugees start life anew in Germany – interactive | Human Interest | Scoop.it
In December, about 60,000 Syrians made their way to Germany. Some went through UN agencies, while others travelled illegally; all had suffered untold hardship in their homeland. Nine of these refugees tell their stories

Via Joanne Wegener
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How to Cook Dinner for 20,000 Syrian Refugees

How to Cook Dinner for 20,000 Syrian Refugees | Human Interest | Scoop.it
The kitchen staff at the Bab Al-Salama IDP camp make use of what limited resources are available to feed thousands of Syrians displaced by war.

Via Frank Kusters
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Iraq's Current Devolution

"A radical fringe Islamic group names ISIS is fighting to establish a extremist Islamic state in Iraq and Syria...and beyond. They control eastern Syria, western Iraq, just took control of Iraq's 2nd largest city of Mosul and are advancing on the capital Baghdad.  In this podcast, the professor John Boyer outlines just a few of the contributing factors to why this significant event is taking place, the geographic/historic background of the state, and the consequences for the future of the region."

Courtney Barrowman's curator insight, June 23, 2014 12:27 PM

unit 4

Michael Mazo's curator insight, October 6, 2014 3:04 PM

Iraq's position in regards to the militant groups has steadily affected the countries global and economic status in more ways than one. As these militant groups such as ISIS continue to grow then so will their territory and intensity of self-less acts. Not only are these groups a disease to the world but they affect the way our global economy works. ISIS controls oil fields and vast amounts of land in Iraq, Syria and other middle-eastern countries. In my opinion, America's decision to fire airstrikes onto these militant groups could be both good and bad. Good because it will decrease the amount of ISIS members but bad because it could be an incentive for ISIS to cause further damage and chaos in reference to revenge. At this pace, ISIS and other such groups will gain claimed territory in which will come at the cost of innocent lives of women and children. They must be stopped before issues get worse.

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The world's biggest refuge

The world's biggest refuge | Human Interest | Scoop.it
This is the stark face of the biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II.

Via dilaycock
dilaycock's curator insight, April 28, 2014 3:29 AM

Azraq will be the biggest refugee camp in history, and still unable to cater for the huge numbers of refugees flowing out of Syria. It's devastating  to look at the photos, and unimaginable what life will be like for those who will be forced to call this home.

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ISIS and the U.S. Presidential Election

The United States is already taking some steps to roll back the Islamic State (ISIS) and restrict its resources and recruits, including airstrikes, armin

Via Michael Miller
Richard Aitchison's curator insight, March 7, 2018 9:47 AM
Since this video was made we have already had a Presidential election and policy made to deal with some of these key issues. Within the past year US policy (some continuation from the Obama Era) under President Trump has been to destroy ISIS and for the most part it has be done. ISIS has been displaced from the region, however that does not mean that the fighting in Syria has stopped. There are still many issues in the area and one that will not simply be rectified within a few years, this is a battle that we will see repeat over and over again. Much like Afghanistan, this area is one with much upheaval and when one power goes away another one rises and new problems can arise. It is an area in which, like the video states a major conundrum. How can we support one place and not make a country like Turkey angry (the Kurd's example  from the video)? So one could say well just stay out of the whole area, while that can make sense it is to important as a world leader (especially America) to not be involved in both a key geographical area for Russia and human rights area.  While there is no doubt there has been improvements in the last year, it is the same story in the Middle East, what is the end game? How do we get to the finish line and does anyone have the right answers. 
Matt Manish's curator insight, May 4, 2018 1:15 AM
The video was published before the last presidential election, but some of the information in it is still accurate regarding the crisis  in Syria. For example this video talks about how Syrian refugees are fleeing from ISIS to other nations in order to escape them. There are many refugees being displaced because of the violence ISIS is causing in the middle east. Refugees that need a place to escape to flee to neighboring countries to get away from ISIS. There is still some debate in America about whether or not Syrian refugees should be allowed to enter the U.S. as well. Ultimately something needs to be done about the terror havoc ISIS is reeking in the middle east.
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UN News - ‘Unprecedented’ 65 million people displaced by war and persecution in 2015 – UN

UN News - ‘Unprecedented’ 65 million people displaced by war and persecution in 2015 – UN | Human Interest | Scoop.it
The number of people displaced from their homes due to conflict and persecution last year exceeded 60 million for the first time in United Nations history, a tally greater than the population of the United Kingdom, or of Canada, Australia and New Zealand combined, says a new report released on World Refugee Day today.

Via Dustin Fowler, Mike Busarello's Digital Storybooks
Dustin Fowler's curator insight, June 20, 2016 5:32 PM
We have more displaced people today than we did after World War II (well, we do have about twice as many people on earth).  This is huge news, and there seems to be no real end to the problem, only the looming uncertainty as to how the world will handle and respond to the growing numbers of those without homes.  Out of every 113 people on earth, one of them is a refugee.  The issue of how to handle migration issues today is the very heart of the difference between how liberals and conservatives feel is the best way to make the world a better place.  
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Islamic State committing genocide against Yazidis: U.N.

Islamic State committing genocide against Yazidis: U.N. | Human Interest | Scoop.it
Islamic State is committing genocide against the Yazidis in Syria and Iraq to destroy the religious community of 400,000 people through killings, sexual slavery and other crimes, United Nations investigators said on Thursday.

Via Dustin Fowler
Dustin Fowler's curator insight, June 16, 2016 8:11 AM
Geography is everywhere, and for better or worse, it is a forum for understanding human relations across space.  So many question here- why is the global community letting this happen?  How could something like this happen in 2016?  Why are Yazidis being targeted?  How might this change the current stance on the situation in Syria? 
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Interactives about Syrian Refugee Crisis

Interactives about Syrian Refugee Crisis | Human Interest | Scoop.it
War, sectarian violence, and famine have forced more than 50 million people from their homes—the largest number of displaced people since World War II.
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Here are two excellent ESRI StoryMaps about the Syrian refugee crisis; these are two very good examples of a great web maps. 

 

Tags: GIS, ESRI, mapping, cartography, geospatial, edtech, Syria, political, refugees.

Mr. D's Social Studies Classroom's curator insight, March 2, 2016 5:34 PM

Here are two excellent ESRI StoryMaps about the Syrian refugee crisis; these are two very good examples of a great web maps. 

'The Uprooted' (focused more on Syria).
Epicenter of a Deepening Refugee Crisis (puts Syria into larger global patterns).

 

Tags: GIS, ESRI, mapping, cartography, geospatial, edtech, Syria, political, refugees.

malbert's curator insight, March 4, 2016 1:30 AM

Here are two excellent ESRI StoryMaps about the Syrian refugee crisis; these are two very good examples of a great web maps. 

'The Uprooted' (focused more on Syria).
Epicenter of a Deepening Refugee Crisis (puts Syria into larger global patterns).

 

Tags: GIS, ESRI, mapping, cartography, geospatial, edtech, Syria, political, refugees.

Rachel Stutzman's curator insight, March 11, 2016 10:28 AM

Here are two excellent ESRI StoryMaps about the Syrian refugee crisis; these are two very good examples of a great web maps. 

'The Uprooted' (focused more on Syria).
Epicenter of a Deepening Refugee Crisis (puts Syria into larger global patterns).

 

Tags: GIS, ESRI, mapping, cartography, geospatial, edtech, Syria, political, refugees.

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Syria's war: Who is fighting and why

Watch how the Syrian civil war became the mess it is today.
Gene Gagne's curator insight, November 4, 2015 5:10 PM

I read articles about the Syrian war and watched this film and I got to tell you it sure is confusing. The picture on one of the websites that really disturbed me is the father holding his lifeless  8 or 9 year old daughter in his arms. I have a 9 year old daughter and it was her birthday on that day I saw the picture. Sometimes it is better emotionally to be ignorant about what is going on in the world.

Kevin Nguyen's curator insight, December 7, 2015 1:37 PM

Syrian civil war has escalated into a proxy wars between many nations that all have different goals in mind. It all started from the Arab Spring and is still on-going because there are many sides taking place and none of them wants to back down. Mainly due to the emerge of the Islamic State that cause a shift in the war of fighting a terrorism organization to fighting the different factions within Syria. 

Nicholas A. Whitmore's curator insight, December 16, 2015 5:19 PM

An interesting and well written breakdown of the Syrian war and its local, regional and global factors that have caused the escalation to this point. It should however be pointed out that some of the information within the video is actually wrong. The United Nations did a investigation and report regarding the use of chemical weapons and found ti was the rebels not Assad who had used them. Furthermore it leaves out some reports from the initial protests in Syria that some of them were armed with weapons and fired on police (suggesting that instead of one side it was mutual escalation). Plus much of the fighting in Syria is also sectarian with Shiites backing Assad and the Sunnis backing Assad's opposition (prior global intervention). If these pieces of information were corrected in addition to talking about the Kurdish predicament a bit more along with the origins of ISIS the video would be perfect. So in a way I suppose the video kind of left out important local geographic details that influenced the regional and global ones.

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‘Syria is emptying’ - The Washington Post

‘Syria is emptying’ - The Washington Post | Human Interest | Scoop.it
The country’s war is the driving force behind the refugee crisis.

Via Mr. David Burton
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How Climate Change is Behind the Surge of Migrants to Europe

How Climate Change is Behind the Surge of Migrants to Europe | Human Interest | Scoop.it

"Even as Europe wrestles over how to absorb the migrant tide, experts warn that the flood is likely to get worse as climate change becomes a driving factor." http://wp.me/P2dv5Z-1YS 


Via GTANSW & ACT
Kevin Nguyen's curator insight, December 7, 2015 2:24 PM

The surge of migrants to Europe has another major contribution other than the Syrian War. Climate change cause food and water shortage to the region of middle-east. The intense droughts and flood are killing their agriculture ultimately lead them to find a food source somewhere else. It's like adding stress to more stress and now you have a massive problem that is showing no sign of stopping.

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Syrian Journey: Choose your own route

Syrian Journey: Choose your own route | Human Interest | Scoop.it
Put yourself in the shoes of a Syrian migrant and see whether you could make the right choices on the journey to Europe.
Norka McAlister's curator insight, April 5, 2015 8:01 PM

Citizens of Syria have experienced difficult times since their country entered into a period of continual war in the past few decades. People migrate to Europe in demand of better life for their families. All begin with a plan and a &helper,&  called trafficker or coyote in Mexico, and money to cross few borders and be able to live life free from war. Although, with countries such as Egypt, Lybia, Lebanon, Turkey, and Greece, with a massive migrations, tough economies, lack of jobs, nothing and no one is safe. However, Europe is very attractive in terms of quality life and safety to raise families. Furthermore, to be able to survive during this migration transition, many risks are involved and even in some cases, killings. Immigrants migrate by boat, truck, train, and sometimes even walking. Day or night immigrants keep moving and pay  high prices to be transported to the next point. It takes them weeks, months, and even years to reach thier final destinations. This is the same for those immigrants in Mexico and U.S. 

Claire Law's curator insight, April 25, 2015 8:41 PM

UK interactive resource to put students in the shoes of refugees fleeing conflict

zane alan berger's curator insight, May 26, 2015 4:42 PM

this is a virtual stimulator showing the struggle of a Syrian migrant, proving that one risky decision can be detrimental for these people. this can be related to the migration unit

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A bird's-eye view of war-torn Syria

A bird's-eye view of war-torn Syria | Human Interest | Scoop.it
A school that lays in ruins, hospitals and refugee camps under attack, and a city center with the size of Manhattan destroyed by shelling — these are some of the shocking details of a new United Nations report on the conflict in Syria, four years after in began.


Tags: SyriaMiddleEast, conflict, political, remote sensing.

Shane C Cook's curator insight, May 27, 2015 8:57 AM

Due to the current terror war in Syria, it has caused many people to flee to surrounding countries or countries where there is no terror and discrimination. This has caused them to be refugees or internally displaced persons.

Gene Gagne's curator insight, November 4, 2015 4:42 PM

The stupidity of this whole thing is the reparations and its cost. Its the injury and death tolls during the conflicts followed by the high cost to rebuild. One must ask is the war or conflicts worth it.

Benjamin Jackson's curator insight, December 13, 2015 7:20 PM

from the air the war looks like many historical photographs of bombings, and in this age of precision warfare it is somewhat disturbing that warfare can still look like this. this is a destruction of infrastructure on a scale unseen in the middle east since the Iran-Iraq war.

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The 9 biggest myths about ISIS

The 9 biggest myths about ISIS | Human Interest | Scoop.it
If you want to understand the Islamic State, better known as ISIS, the first thing you have to know about them is that they are not crazy. Murderous adherents to a violent medieval ideology, sure. But not insane.
Lora Tortolani's curator insight, March 18, 2015 9:04 PM

This may be a little off topic but with a President like Obama, how could America even try to stop ISIS alone?  That man has made a fool of our country!  I don't think ISIS would self-destruct on its own; it will continue to grow and become more powerful because people are afraid.

Mark Hathaway's curator insight, October 23, 2015 6:13 AM

Like much of the Middle East, ISIS is shrouded in myth. To many Americans, they are just a band of savage lunatics who want to chop peoples heads off. In reality they are not that insane. The violence they commit is calculated. "It  is targeted to weaken their enemies and strengthen ISIS' hold on territory, in part by terrorizing the people it wishes to rule over". They are driven by radical ideology, but they do have an ultimate goal in mind. They want to rule territory and form their own radical empire. Violence is a tool to achieve that aim.  The rest of this article describes eight other myths commonly associated with ISIS. This article does an excellent job of breaking down commonly held assumptions of ISIS.

Matt Danielson's curator insight, October 31, 2018 12:10 PM
though this comes from Vox (a heavily biased news source) this article brings up some good points about Isis. Though they are extremely violent and due call for a strict adherent to Sharia law, they make some exceptions in order to accomplish the conquest they desire. These attacks they have on regions and the way they use there influence to control is a very calculated move, hard to be that calculated and be insane. 
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Conversation: Al Assad Consolidates Power in Syria

Conversation: Al Assad Consolidates Power in Syria | Human Interest | Scoop.it
Stratfor Founder and Chairman George Friedman and Chief Geopolitical Analyst Robert D. Kaplan discuss how Bashar al Assad has legitimized his authority over the course of the Syrian conflict.
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