The Syrian civil war rages on after three years and there is still no sign of a clear winner. The rebels have been pushed out of the major cities to a large extent, but the fighting continues in certain sections of cities like Aleppo and surrounding rural areas with casualties on both sides. Still, the ones that come out the worst from both sides are the civilians, stuck between an indifferent government and rebels that are infiltrated by militants from all corners of the world. While the government is supported by countries such as Russia and China, the rebels have been given weapons by countries like the US and Saudi Arabia which leaves the masses without any protection, and any medical or food supplies because humanitarian aid is still being blocked by both parties even two months after the Security Council resolution to allow humanitarian aid was signed.
Allegations of fresh chemical attacks using chlorine bombs have also been leveled against the government in the midst of the process of chemical disarmament, (vehemently denied by both Russia and China). Around 80% of the chemical arsenal of Syria has already been removed, but the situation is likely to get even more convoluted if the alleged chlorine attacks actually took place. Amidst all this, the government has announced that a Presidential election will be held on the 3rd of June, which is likely to be no more than a farce.
Over 150,000 people have already died and more than 9 million people have been displaced across the country, as more fighters pour in to the country on a daily basis. Worryingly, militants the world over seem to have their eyes on Syria as the place to be right now, with weapons and safe havens available. The foreign terrorists in Pakistan are no different, and want to move on because of the stagnant peace talks, the importance of Syria in the Islamic tradition, and the uncertainty surrounding their future. It would seem that land routes to Syria are the thing to watch right now. With so much happening on all fronts, the country seems on the verge of socio-political and economic collapse. The war seems far from over; according to the UN, the devastation has already reached World War II levels, and even if the war were to end soon, it would take decades for the economy to reach pre-war levels. As poverty, instability and violence increase, spilling over into Lebanon, and as humanitarian aid remains blocked, Syria must be watched carefully as a hotbed for terrorist activity with consequences not just for the Middle East, but the world at large.