Why did the Syrian Civil War start?

The Syrian Civil War began in 2011 as a result of a combination of factors, including political, social, economic, and religious tensions that had been building up over several decades. The spark that ignited the conflict was a wave of protests against the government of President Bashar al-Assad, who had been in power since 2000, and his regime's repressive policies. The government responded with violence, and the protests turned into an armed rebellion, which quickly escalated into a full-blown civil war.

The conflict was also fueled by sectarian tensions between Sunni Muslims, who made up the majority of the population, and the Alawite minority to which Assad belonged. The government's brutal response to the protests and the rebellion, including the use of chemical weapons against civilians, led to the intervention of various external actors, including Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah on the side of the Syrian government, and the United States, Turkey, and other Gulf states on the side of the opposition.

The war has been devastating for Syria, with an estimated 500,000 people killed, and millions more displaced or forced to flee the country. It has also had a significant impact on the broader Middle East region, contributing to the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and destabilizing neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey.