Syria’s war has killed more than 507,000 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The conflict began in 2011, triggered by the government’s brutal suppression of an uprising. Over 164,000 civilians, 15,000 women, and 25,000 children have been killed, along with 343,000 combatants including soldiers, pro-Iran groups, Kurdish forces, and jihadists.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has regained some lost territory with help from Iran and Russia, but large areas in the north remain outside government control. This year, 16.7 million people in Syria need humanitarian assistance, with 7.2 million internally displaced. The population is struggling with poverty and a devastated economy, worsened by Western sanctions.
Thirteen years of war have had “devastating consequences” on Syrians, with a whole generation growing up in a time of loss and war. Humanitarian efforts are focused on maintaining basic services like water and health. UN-facilitated political efforts are stalled, with talks in Geneva rejected by Moscow and Damascus.
Last year, Syria re-entered the Arab League after a suspension of over a decade, marking Assad’s return to the regional fold.
