Syrian Civil War: Genesis, Actors, and Peace Initiatives

Abstract

The civil war in Syria has been going on for almost a decade, and though the intensity of the conflict has toned down, yet it still seems far from over. The conflict broke out as a violent attempt to oust President Bashar al-Assad. The regional rivals and allies of the Syrian regime funneled support either to the government or the rebels. Similarly, beyond the regional level, a global tug of war was also waged in Syria with the United States (US) backing the rebels while Russia supporting the Syrian regime. Purpose of this study is to give an in-depth analysis of the complex nature of the Syrian civil war and its link with the future of the Middle East. Overall, the study is descriptive and finds that the conflict leads to the emergence of cross-cutting alliances in the region which may create a volatile future for the region. Therefore, it suggests that the solution to the crises in Syria can be best achieved by mutual political consensus of all stakeholders rather than coercive methods.