It has been a few weeks since I wrote about Syria. There have been some important developments in that conflict.
First, the rebel forces are now shelling parts of Lebanon on a regular basis. These attacks are meant to destroy the support areas for the Hezbollah fighters who have joined the forces of the Assad regime. So far, there has been no armed response from Lebanon, and none is likely. What we are more likely to see is the involvement of more Lebanese coming into Syria to fight against the rebels.
Second, the Assad forces have been concentrating on keeping their link between Damascus and the ports on the Mediterranean open. The Assad army has been more successful than in the past for two reasons: a) it now has the support of a great many fighters from Hezbollah; and b) it is limiting its actions mostly to areas with large Alawaite populations rather than those which are mostly Sunni.
Third, the conflict is changing more and more into a sectarian one with Sunnis on one side and Shiites on the other. (Alawaites are the Syrian branch of the Shiites, hence their alliance with Shiite Iran and Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon.) It also seems as if the Assad forces are conceding much of the Sunni portion of Syria to the rebels and focusing their forces on Damascus and the Shiite sections.
Hundreds or thousands still die each week. The number of refugees is well over a million.
It is a disgrace that nothing is happening to attempt to end this fighting.
First, the rebel forces are now shelling parts of Lebanon on a regular basis. These attacks are meant to destroy the support areas for the Hezbollah fighters who have joined the forces of the Assad regime. So far, there has been no armed response from Lebanon, and none is likely. What we are more likely to see is the involvement of more Lebanese coming into Syria to fight against the rebels.
Second, the Assad forces have been concentrating on keeping their link between Damascus and the ports on the Mediterranean open. The Assad army has been more successful than in the past for two reasons: a) it now has the support of a great many fighters from Hezbollah; and b) it is limiting its actions mostly to areas with large Alawaite populations rather than those which are mostly Sunni.
Third, the conflict is changing more and more into a sectarian one with Sunnis on one side and Shiites on the other. (Alawaites are the Syrian branch of the Shiites, hence their alliance with Shiite Iran and Shiite Hezbollah in Lebanon.) It also seems as if the Assad forces are conceding much of the Sunni portion of Syria to the rebels and focusing their forces on Damascus and the Shiite sections.
Hundreds or thousands still die each week. The number of refugees is well over a million.
It is a disgrace that nothing is happening to attempt to end this fighting.
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