The Syrian Government is under fire after a chemical attack was launched on its own citizens.

On April 7, the rebel-held Syrian city of Douma came under attack from chemical weapons that left dozens dead and many more suffering. Patients came into hospitals with their eyes burning and breathing problems. 70 people died from the chemical attacks.

Douma is the last Syrian rebel held city, and the Syrian government wants to retake the control of it. On Friday, April 13, the U.S. along with Britain and France, launched more than 100 missiles at facilities near Damascus and Homs believed to be used for chemical weapons.

The International Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is sending monitors to Douma to gather information to see if chemical weapons were actually used, according to BBC News.

Syria has been in a civil war with its government and leader, Bashar al-Assad, since 2011. 500,000 innocent civilians have been killed due to the Syrian Civil War, according to the website I Am Syria. In 2018, already 3,404 civilians have died.

The Syrian Civil War began on April 29, 2011 in the town of Dara’a where a protest broke out against the torturing of 13 year-old boys who put up anti-government graffiti on their school buildings.

In March 2011, protests began to fill the streets, and by April 2011, President Assad’s began having government forces kill unarmed civilians. More protests responded to the way the government had controlled the situation, while Assad lined up tanks in the streets to fight against the rebels.

In August of 2011, the Syrian National Council (SNC) was formed to end Assad’s Presidency. The highest fighting city and death toll city were Damascus and Aleppo. By June 2013, the UN reported a death toll of 90,000.

Assad, 52, has been in office since July 17 ,2000. His father, Hafez Al-Assad, decided to make his son the new heir after the death of al-Assad’s brother Bassel. Assad re-ran for election in 2007 and was re-elected in 2014 for a new seven-year term in a referendum on his presidency.

Contemporary World Issues teacher Mr. Doubleday believes the Syrian War won’t end. “The recent chemical attacks are very disturbing and a violation of international law,” he said. “Unfortunately, I do not see an end to this crisis in the near future because of the potential for a larger conflict between the U.S. and Russia. ”

He continued: “Civil Wars, in theory, are internal affairs that need to be resolved by the people in the country. However, the reality is not that simple because other countries have an interest in the outcome of the civil war. And when one side is perpetrating crimes against humanity and violating international standards, it is not possible for the rest of the world to watch and not want to get involved”.

This isn’t the first time Assad has used chemical weapons against the Syrian rebels to thwart their chances of overthrowing him.  He has used chemical weapons, including sarin, nerve gas, in chlorine, in eight attacks, according to the website Arms Control Association.

Academic Support Coordinator Ms. Currie-Rubin wants other countries to have a response towards the chemical attacks.

“There are so many unknowns,” said Currie-Rubin. “What I wish is that countries like the US, France, Israel, would have a coordinated response. Yes, like all wars, I think this war will eventually end. I wonder, however, what the cost will be.”

“Civil war is incredibly sad because it shows breakdown between the will of the people and the will of the government,” she added. “I think the US needs to work with allies to have a coordinated response. The strikes that the Trump administration have carried out have had little impact, so I do think a different response is needed. I wish I understood more about options. I did read this article on responses, and it seems like America really does have several poor options.

According to ABC News, “President Trump condemned the chemical attack and blamed Iran, and warned Russia’s president Vladimir Putin to be prepared for a response.”