Abstract
The internal situation in Syria during the first four years of conflict resembles a kaleidoscope showing a different picture every minute. Individual elements keep changing their places, some lose their meaning, others take more space, some disappear completely, and new ones take their place. Perhaps this view does not change from day to day, but it surely changes from month to month, and an inexperienced observer may soon be lost in the mass of new information and changing names. The present text aims to present a short review of the situation during the Syrian civil war. The present conflict has its roots deep in the past and in order to understand it one needs to go back in time and describe – even if superficially – the history of Syria since it gained its independence. Its earlier history is, of course, also fascinating, yet if one does not want to be forced to write a book on the five thousand years of Syrian history, it seems fitting to refer the reader to other works on the subject. Therefore, the first part of the present draft will focus on the historical background of the current conflict, and the second part will concern the course of the conflict since its outbreak in 2011 through July 2015.
Highlights
The internal situation in Syria during the first four years of conflict resembles a kaleidoscope showing a different picture every minute
The present text aims to present a short review of the situation during the Syrian civil war
About 10 percent are Christians of different rites--the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church (“Jacobite”) together with the part of it which is in union with Catholicism, Armenian churches, the Assyrian Church of the East (“Nestorian”), the Chaldean Church of Babylon (Roman Catholic), the Maronite Church, et al, yet due to strong emigration one may encounter estimates showing that the number of Christians in Syria has dropped to a mere 8 percent.[3]
Summary
In order to understand contemporary Syria, it is necessary to provide some basic statistical data. The second biggest religious group are different factions of Shiites, including Alawites ( some Shiites express doubt in this matter), Isma’ili and Twelvers (the Twelve Imams believers) Together they constitute – with the noticeable domination of the Alawites – 13 percent of the society.[2] About 10 percent are Christians of different rites--the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church (“Jacobite”) together with the part of it which is in union with Catholicism, Armenian churches, the Assyrian Church of the East (“Nestorian”), the Chaldean Church of Babylon (Roman Catholic), the Maronite Church, et al, yet due to strong emigration one may encounter estimates showing that the number of Christians in Syria has dropped to a mere 8 percent.[3] Without a doubt this is the fastest disappearing group among Syria minorities, as even on the verge of World War I, the Christian population was estimated to be about 20 percent, not to mention the earlier period. The Sunnis excommunicate the Shias and both hate the Druze; all detest the Alawis; the Maronites do not love anybody but themselves and are duly abhorred by all; the Greek Orthodox abominate the
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