The Syrian Civil War: A Nation Torn Apart

Syria’s modern history is marked by a legacy of colonialism, military coups, and the struggle for political identity in the aftermath of French rule. The French Mandate over Syria, which lasted from 1920 to 1946, left an indelible mark on the country’s political landscape. The mandate divided the population along sectarian lines, creating tensions between religious and ethnic groups. These divisions were exacerbated by the subsequent formation of an independent Syrian state, where military coups and authoritarian regimes became a fixture of governance. The Alawite minority, to which President Bashar al-Assad belongs, came to dominate the country’s political system after the Assad family’s rise to power in 1970. The Assad regime, under both Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar, maintained strict control over the country through a combination of military power, intelligence agencies, and a system of patronage that rewarded loyalty while stifling dissent.