Syria: The story of the conflict

WHO: Syrians
WHAT: Armed conflict
WHY: Anti-government protests
WHEN: Not given
WHERE: Syria
HOW: Not given

More than 250,000 Syrians have lost their lives in four-and-a-half years of armed conflict, which began with anti-government protests before escalating into a full-scale civil war. More than 11 million others have been forced from their homes as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and those opposed to his rule battle each other - as well as jihadist militants from so-called Islamic State. This is the story of the civil war so far, in two short chapters.

1. Uprising turns violent

Pro-democracy protests erupted in March 2011 in the southern city of Deraa after the arrest and torture of some teenagers who painted revolutionary slogans on a school wall. After security forces opened fire on demonstrators, killing several, more took to the streets.

The unrest triggered nationwide protests demanding President Assad's resignation. The government's use of force to crush the dissent merely hardened the protesters' resolve. By July 2011, hundreds of thousands were taking to the streets across the country

Opposition supporters eventually began to take up arms, first to defend themselves and later to expel security forces from their local areas.

2. Descent into civil war

Violence escalated and the country descended into civil war as rebel brigades were formed to battle government forces for control of cities, towns and the countryside. Fighting reached the capital Damascus and second city of Aleppo in 2012.

By June 2013, the UN said 90,000 people had been killed in the conflict. By August 2015, that figure had climbed to 250,000, according to activists and the UN.

The conflict is now more than just a battle between those for or against Mr Assad. It has acquired sectarian overtones, pitching the country's Sunni majority against the president's Shia Alawite sect, and drawn in regional and world powers. The rise of the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) has added a further dimension.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26116868

Key words:

 escalating 升級

 erupted 爆發

 torture 凌虐

 slogans 標語，口號

 demonstrator 示威者

 unrest 不安，動盪

 triggered 引發
 resignation 辭職
 dissent 異議
 hardened 變堅固
 escalated 逐漸擴大
 descended 出身於...的
 rebel brigades 反叛隊伍
 sectarian overtones 宗派的暗示
 jihadist 聖戰
 dimension 範圍