News about the pressing situation in Syria receives increasing attention, as the conflict approaches its second full year. The uprisings and violence in Syria began in March 2011 in the city of Deraa, with clashes between President Bashar al-Assad’s government and the rebel forces who want seek to overthrow their current president.

      The protests initially occurred after 15 schoolchildren were arrested by Assad’s men  for writing anti-government graffiti on a wall. Originally, protesters wanted the children released and peacefully protested for more democratic freedom, until the government responded angrily several days later, opening fire on citizens and killing four.

      Citizens became even more resistant towards their government following the shootings, and instead of increased democratic freedom, Syrian protesters demanded that President Bashar al-Assad resign. Naturally, he refused, and the violence between the Syrian “rebels” and the government is growing intensely. President Assad has offered to change some of his policies, but the distrust among Syrian citizens is already too widespread, and the violence continues.

      In April 2012 the United Nations sent in peace monitors, but the current status was too dangerous for them to remain. As of 2013, no armed troops have been sent into Syria, because members of the UN as well as  Russia and China blocked any move to do so as they are allied with President Assad. However, recently Russia and China have started distancing themselves from the Syrian president because of his threats to use Sarin nerve gas, a weapon of chemical warfare that affects the transmission of nerve impulses through the nervous system (Britannica.com), on his own people.

      Many hope that this violent decision could mean UN intervention soon. Senior Sean MacDonald said, “Even though Syria is a complex issue, I think it exemplifies a growing trend in the international community of an unwillingness to enforce the rules that they created.”

      With a university explosion killing at least ten in Syria on Jan. 15, it does not appear that the violence will stop any time soon. Neither side shows any sign of giving in, and perhaps the fate of this situation lies  in the hands of the United Nations, hopefully within the next few months.

      While this issue may seem to be only relevant on a global scale, students at SHS may still stay updated on the current conflict overseas. “The reason why we should really care,” said history teacher Ms. Fanelli, “is that these rebels are looking for world help, and if the world doesn’t help, they might turn to radical Islam and in the end cause even more chaos in the region.”

      The condition in Syria is ever changing and websites like bbc.com or cnn.com are reliable sources that update frequently on any new news that they receive from the troubled nation in the Middle East.