Running Head: The Increase of Syrian Refugees

The Increase of Syrian Refugees in Response to the Syrian Civil War

Yesenia Madrigal
California State University Dominguez Hills

Running Head: The Increase of Syrian Refugees

Throughout the last 4 years Syria has been rearranged internally through violence which is
why so many of citizens to this day continue to emigrate in masses and seek refuge in other
countries. This paper will focus on the effects of the Syrian Civil war on its citizens as it has led
them to migrate to various countries both within and outside the parameters of the Middle East.
Since early 2011, the Syrian Civil war has caused great distress to the country. As a result,
many of its citizens have opted for the better option and have chosen to flee the country and seek
refuge someplace else. The main issue, which started as a disagreement between pro- democracy
supporters and President Assads leadership, unraveled tremendously and gave wave for other
issues to be brought up and fought for, including the rise of jihadist groups such as the Islamic
State (otherwise known as ISIS). Such groups have found a way (through violence and
aggression) to gain territory of Syrian infrastructure. This has been one of the many factors of
why the country is currently divided.
Why are Syrians Leaving?
To understand the Syrian Refugee crisis, it is important to know how the Syrian Civil War
started and what the current situation is like in Syria. The main reason of why Syrians are leaving
the country is in great part, due to the violence occurring in the area. Since 2011, the War in
Syria broke out as a response to a disagreement of President Assads leadership. Many believe
that democracy should be enforced and that citizens should not have to follow the unfair and
biased decisions the President has supported. Since then, citizens of the country have seen
themselves having to choose between supporting a pro-democracy government and President
Assads leadership. However, Syrian citizens currently face other problems such as avoiding
confrontations with jihadists groups as these groups seek to gain control of the country and have
already begun doing so by taking over Syrian infrastructure. Oil fields which brought great profit
and economic support to the country are now under control of ISIS, crippling the Syrian

Running Head: The Increase of Syrian Refugees

economy. Currently, the situation in Syria has turned (to some extent) into a proxy war as
discussed in lecture. There are several countries that have found interest in Syria and in the
benefits they can receive from this war by supporting it or opposing it. For example, Russia and
Iran have gradually increased their support of President Assads government. This of course,
leads to greater division within the country and is another cause of why there are many Syrians
migrating out of the country. The greater the amount of countries involved, the more that Syria is
divided.
Data

The image above shows the internal division of Syria between different groups.
Countries where Syrians are Fleeing to

Running Head: The Increase of Syrian Refugees

It is important to take into account which countries Syrians are fleeing to, and furthermore
which countries are welcoming Syrian refugees. The main countries that Syrians are migrating to
which offer refuge and asylum are: Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, the EU, Iraq, and Egypt. With the
exception of countries in the EU, most of the countries offering asylum are in the Middle East.
This is mostly due to the fact that they are countries easier to get to by land. As ISIS continues to
gain control over Syria, Syrian citizens continue to flee to neighboring countries in groups of
thousands. Nevertheless, individual countries are not the only ones helping and providing refuge
for Syrians.
Data

The image above depicts the emigrational trends of Syrian Refugees to countries both near
and far from 2011-2015.

Running Head: The Increase of Syrian Refugees

The image above shows the main areas of conflict in Syria and shows the total number of
registered Syrian refugees as of August 2015.
The UNHCR and Future of Syrian Refugees
Organizations such as The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are
also contributing to the crisis and are actively sending aid to the country in the form of food,
medicine, and temporary shelter. In their website, the UNHCR states, More than half of all
refugees of concern to UNHCR live in urban areas. They all face three possible solutions:
repatriation; local integration or resettlement. (unhcr.org) Meaning that Syrian refugees could
be sent back to Syria, they could be allowed to stay in a host country, or they could be sent to a
third country in which they will be settled in with local communities.
Global Effect

Running Head: The Increase of Syrian Refugees

The Syrian Refugee crisis goes beyond just affecting Syria and the Middle East. Countries
from around the world are taking part into this issue because leaders have to face the decision of
accepting or declining Syrian Refugees into their countries. Furthermore, countries in the
western hemisphere such as the U.S and Canada need to analyze what their position is in this
issue as they have received threats from ISIS. If countries chose to help and provide asylum for
Syrian refugees it could put them at a greater risk to receive attacks from groups that control the
Syrian region. The recent Paris terrorist attacks serve as a case in point and are used as a threat
and example by ISIS to other countries of what could occur in other countries should they go
against the group and support Syrian Refugees. Whichever the final outcome may be of the
Syrian Civil War, leaders around the world will continue to be affected by the conflict and will
see themselves in the position of having to choose between their countrys safety and providing
asylum for Syrian Refugees.

Running Head: The Increase of Syrian Refugees

References
Focus on Syrians Migration Policy Centre - MPC. (2015). Retrieved from
http://www.migrationpolicycentre.eu/migrant-crisis/focus-on-syrians/
Gordon, M. R., & Schmitt, E. (2015, November 12). U.S. Steps Up Its Attacks on ISISControlled Oil Fields in Syria - The New York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/13/us/politics/us-steps-up-its-attacks-on-isiscontrolled-oil-fields-in-syria.html?_r=2
Rodgers, L., Gritten, D., Offer, J., & Asare, P. (2015, October 9). Syria: The story of the conflict
- BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26116868
Salopek, P. (2015, March). Fleeing Terror, Finding Refuge - National Geographic Magazine.
Retrieved from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2015/03/syrian-refugees/salopek-text
Syria Regional Refugee Response - Regional Overview. (2015). Retrieved from
http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php
UNHCR - Durable Solutions. (2015). Retrieved from
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646cf8.html