Syria

Lost in the chaos of war

Syria has been at war since 2011. So far, the conflict has cost half a million lives and created over 13 million refugees. Just under 6 million of them have sought protection in neighbouring countries or Europe. The disputed state territory is home to Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Assyrians and Druze, who have formed various alliances with each other. The warring parties include the so-called Islamic State and the Syrian Democratic Forces, but also the central government in Damascus.

Despite diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, key decisions have been made on the battlefields: bolstered by its allies Russia and Iran, the Syrian central government has been able to force back the opposition groups and reconquer large parts of the country. But the situation remains catastrophic. The fighting has destroyed schools. Roads, electricity and water supply networks are damaged. Many Syrians have lost everything. What’s more, around 6 million Syrian children have only attended school sporadically or not at all since the outbreak of the war. The United Nations has warned that they could become a “lost generation”, as many children and young people face poverty and unemployment because they do not have an education.