Syria's idealistic revolution becomes a symbol of 21st century catastrophe By Washington Post, adapted by Newsela staff on 12.16.16 Word Count 993 Level 1220L Syrian children look at the damage following an air strike in Aleppo's rebel-controlled neighbourhood of Karm al-jabal on September 18, 2016. Syria's ceasefire was on the brink of collapsing on September 18, after a U.S.-led coalition strike killed dozens of regime soldiers and Aleppo city was hit by its first raids in nearly a week. AFP / KARAM AL-MASRI This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Rebels first surged into the city Aleppo, Syria, in the summer of 2012. It was the high point of their still young, still idealistic revolution against the country's president, Bashar Assad. Now, 4 1/2 years later, hundreds of thousands have died. Troops loyal to Assad's government are poised to take back the city, declaring the end of an era for the rebellion. The rebels are clinging to a tiny pinprick of territory in one corner of Aleppo and it is now only a matter of time before the government reclaims full control over the country's biggest city, which has become a symbol of the catastrophe of the Syrian war. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2
"A Complete Meltdown Of Humanity" Russia and Turkey have settled on a deal to rescue the tens of thousands of people still trapped by the fighting. But the plan was put on hold this week because the Syrian government and its Iraqi allies did not agree with it. The plan was to evacuate fighters and civilians to other rebel territory. Residents reported artillery attacks had started again on the rebel-held enclave as the brief cease-fire to allow people to be evacuated appeared to be breaking down. Exact details were unclear, but U.S. officials said they were doubtful the evacuation would happen as intended if it happened at all. In the past, other declarations have been made, but never took place. If the evacuation does not go ahead, an even bigger nightmare could unfold, warned United Nations (U.N.) agencies and human rights groups. Jens Laerke, the U.N. humanitarian spokesman, called the scenario in Aleppo "a complete meltdown of humanity." The U.N. is an international group formed by member countries that works to reduce global conflicts. People who are loyal to Assad have come together in recent days on former rebel strongholds that were fighting against the government. There have already been disturbing reports of abuses. According to the United Nations, Syrian army soldiers and the Iraqi soldiers helping them killed 82 Syrian civilians on Monday, including women and children. People Flee For Their Lives Tens of thousands of people have recently fled to the tiny enclave still under rebel control. There are already residents there, which is creating chaos in the cramped streets. People stumbled over the bodies of the dead as they fled their homes ahead of advancing government troops. They now fear for their lives should they be caught, said Zouhir al-shimale, an activist who lives in one of the last rebel-held neighborhoods. Most people now only want the chance to escape from the area safely and they welcomed the news of Tuesday's deal with "a kind of shock of happiness," said Shimale, who was among those who joined in the uprising against Assad's rule. But now, he said, all anyone can think about is getting out. "It's dead. It's over, and no one cares," Shimale said. The defeat of the rebels gives the Assad government its biggest victory yet in the 5-year-old war, but it won't change the course of the conflict because of Russia's military intervention more than a year ago. Assad is in no danger of being toppled since Russian airstrikes began against the rebels. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3
War Is Becoming More Complicated The rebel defeat in Aleppo also will not end the war because large areas of northwestern Syria, much of the countryside of southern Syria and several pockets of territory around Damascus and near Homs are all still under rebel control. But, the endgame in Aleppo does change the conflict. It leaves the rebels with no hold over any strategically significant area of the country. It also destroys President Barack Obama's 5- year-old policy of using rebel gains to force Assad to compromise. Assad has promised to regain all territory lost to the rebels, but it is uncertain whether this will actually happen. Meanwhile, the war has already claimed at least 400,000 lives and is becoming even more complicated. The Islamic State, an extreme fighter group that is not a part of the rebels nor the Syrian army, now controls more than one-third of the eastern part of the country. The group has drawn the United States into Syria's war. While attention was focused on the battle for Aleppo, the militants recaptured the Syrian city of Palmyra, overrunning in just three days loyalist positions that had been depleted by diversions to the Aleppo front. A Symbol Of Failures Syrian Kurds are the largest ethnic minority in the country. The Kurds, which face discrimination by the Syrian government, are now governing a big area in northeastern Syria that Assad has also said he wants to take back. Turkish troops have intervened in another area of the north of the country and control a chunk of territory alongside a force of allied rebels. One U.S. official said the Assad regime does not have the ability to end this war, even with Russia's help. Aleppo will nonetheless be remembered as a symbolic milestone. It is the final death of a dream of a more democratic Syria. The brutality of the government crackdown and the reluctance of world powers to pressure the Assad regime into softening its tactics exposed shortcomings in the global system of laws and norms designed to ease the suffering of civilians in war. Aleppo also became a symbol of the failures of the Syrian revolution, which began with peaceful protests of a dictatorial regime, but quickly morphed into an armed rebellion that also violated many of those international rules. The shattered city stands as a symbol too of a wrecked and polarized country. West Aleppo, which always stayed in government hands, is still largely intact, though rebel shelling killed many civilians there, too. Tens of thousands of civilians from eastern Syria have sought refuge there in recent days, streaming across the front line clutching bags and blankets. East Aleppo, which was under rebel control, is destroyed. This week, there was hardly a sign of life in its empty streets. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4
This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5
Quiz 1 Which of the following statements BEST represents Bashar Assad's role in the war in Syria? He is leading the rebel forces in order to take control of the Syrian government. He is working with Syrian forces to ensure that all militarily significant regions of the country are returned to government control. He is leading Syrian forces in order to maintain his dictatorial control of Syria. He is working with rebel forces to find a peaceful conclusion and end the rebellion in Syria. 2 How does the article develop the idea that rebel forces are attempting to protect civilians in Aleppo? by describing the ways civilians are being treated by government soldiers and their allies by providing information about the areas that rebels are attempting to maintain control over by providing examples of ways in which civilians have been shielded from combat by rebel soldiers by describing the locations to which civilians are fleeing when they leave their homes 3 Read the section title. "A Complete Meltdown Of Humanity" Which line from this section helps show the meaning of the section title? Russia and Turkey have settled on a deal to rescue the tens of thousands of people still trapped by the fighting. Exact details were unclear, but U.S. officials said they were doubtful the evacuation would happen as intended if it happened at all. People who are loyal to Assad have come together in recent days on former rebel strongholds that were fighting against the government. According to the United Nations, Syrian army soldiers and the Iraqi soldiers helping them killed 82 Syrian civilians on Monday, including women and children. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 6
4 Read the sentence from the section "A Symbol Of Failures." One U.S. official said the Assad regime does not have the ability to end this war, even with Russia's help. Aleppo will nonetheless be remembered as a symbolic milestone. It is the final death of a dream of a more democratic Syria. What does the phrase "symbolic milestone" mean in the sentence above? desired outcome meaningful part of history place of extreme violence incomplete victory This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 7