Assad forces continue battle with Syrian rebels

 

 Syria's brutal conflict, now in its fifth year, has touched off the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time, according to U.N. officials. The organization estimates that around 250,000 people have been killed and more than one million wounded since March 2011. About half the country's prewar population of 23 million has been displaced, including more than 4 million who have fled Syria. Tactics such as encircling populated areas have caused untold cases of starvation, malnutrition and chronic illness. The U.N. refugee agency says Syria is the leading source of refugees, pushing Afghanistan — which had held that status for more than 30 years — down to second place.

The war has defied all attempts for a diplomatic solution. Unimaginable suffering has unfolded while the world stands witness. The emergence and spread of the violent Islamic State group as the most potent opposition to Assad has led to renewed diplomatic activity to try and end the war. The U.N. envoy to Syria has called for a new round of talks and is trying to set up working groups aimed at facilitating a political process. That effort faces opposition from both Assad and his opponents, both of whom still hope they can settle the conflict through military force. Iran is also trying to mediate, but as a key backer of Assad, any initiative from Tehran is likely to be stillborn. Assad is unlikely to step aside, and without serious pressure from their regional and international supporters, the rebels trying to topple him are unlikely to accept a political transition which includes him.

Only an end to the war in Syria will stop the flow of refugees. The haunting images of drowning migrants have sparked a public outcry and calls for world leaders not only to change their attitude toward refugees but to deal with the root cause of the crisis. But the war is unlikely to end anytime soon unless countries that sponsor either side of the Syrian divide come together and convince their partners of the need to agree on a power sharing agreement. Other measures such as safe zones inside Syria may help stem the exodus, but will not end it