More Than A Decade on, No End in Sight for Syria's War
Voice of AmericaMar 14
Report: At Least 17 Killed in Clashes in Southern Syria
The Facts
At least 17 people were killed in clashes on Sunday in Syria's Southern Daraa province following an explosion that killed a group of children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The dead reportedly include three family members of Ahmad al-Labbad, the alleged leader of an armed group formerly working for a state security service, 12 of his fighters, a former Islamic State (IS) group member, and a civilian.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Waging war against his own people for 13 years, Syrian dictator Assad is ultimately responsible for the latest killings in Daraa. Clashes have been escalating again for months, as the regime feels reinforced since the Arab League welcomed Assad back into the fold. Added to this is Russia, further undermining the UN- and Western-led efforts for change in Damascus. Until pressure on the Assad regime is ramped up again, the killing and humanitarian catastrophe in Syria will continue.
Establishment-critical narrative
The latest casualties are a reminder that war is still raging in Syria, for which foreign powers are primarily responsible. Since 2011, certain countries have sought to advance their geopolitical interests by destabilizing the country, but the ultimate goal of regime change failed. Syrians are demanding their country's full sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, including the withdrawal of US occupation forces. Until then, the fight for freedom and against terror will continue.
Nerd narrative
There is a 45% chance that three mainstream American news outlets will report that a rebel group perpetrated the 2013 Ghouta Chemical Attack before Aug. 21, 2033, according to the Metaculus prediction community.