Syria Wants to Talk
Syrian government ready to negotiate with opposition. “We want to end this conflict yesterday,” – Syrian Government In 2011, 15 children were arrested in Syria for graffiti. The kids were beaten and tortured in prison. Syrians protested the arrests of the kids (they were freed). Meanwhile, Arab Spring protests spread across the Middle East. Syrian forces responded by shooting protesters. …
4 Million Syrian Refugees
Over half of Syria’s population is now homeless. Source article on CNN.com The 2011 Arab Spring saw riots & protests erupt in Middle East. In Syria, protests exploded against President Bashar al-Assad. Syrian government forces responded with brutal violence. The protests eventually turned into outright civil war. Chemical weapons have been used repeatedly during the war. Estimates in April 2015 …
Ukraine Ceasefire Shaky
Fighting continues in key town of Debaltseve. Ceasefire between Ukraine and Separatists started Sunday. But fighting in the strategic town of Debaltseve hasn’t stopped. Debaltseve contains transport hubs, railroads, & highways. 5 Ukrainian soldiers were killed on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Ukrainian forces pulled out of Debaltseve. It is a huge win for Pro-Russian Separatists. Debaltseve had a population of 25k. …
Ukraine Ceasefire…Again
Marathon 17-hour peace talks result in ceasefire. Violence in Eastern Ukraine has been ongoing since 2013. Pro-Russian Separatists are fighting Ukrainian forces. It has displaced 1.5 million people & killed 5k, mostly civilians. There was a ceasefire deal in Sept. 2014 which broke down. This new deal, mediated by Germany and France, is similar. It includes “special status” for Pro-Russian …