Syria

Reports of a chemical attack in a Damascus suburb on Wednesday, Aug. 21, marked a turning point in the attitude of the United States and its allies toward the Syrian government. Disparate rebel groups have been fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad’s regime since 2011. Syria has responded by shooting and bombing its people, as well as committing human rights abuses against its citizens such as torture and rape.

More than 100,000 people have died and millions more, including 1 million children, have fled their homes. Many have left for Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq (map), where they face hardship while awaiting their fate in sprawling refugee camps.

The consequences of Syria’s war extend beyond its borders, as violence spills into other countries and threatens to destabilize the region. Clashes between Shia government supporters and fighters from Syria’s majority-Sunni population have prompted bomb attacks in Lebanon and Iraq. Foreign fighters have joined battles on both sides, including Hezbollah for the government and radical Sunnis for the opposition. Instability has attracted jihadist groups, which have seized territory for their own use.

The conflict has unfolded as world powers vie to advance their interests in the region. Russia, one of the Assad government's strongest allies, has repeatedly stymied western governments’ efforts to find a political solution.

The narrative in Syria is not as simple as a country’s oppressed majority fighting against an authoritarian regime. Extremist elements among the opposition make the West nervous, and Syria’s fragmented opposition lacks a clear directive. That could lead to further instability should the Assad regime fall.