The humanitarian costs of the Syrian conflict have been staggering. Many, including officials at the United Nations, identify this as the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. More than 200,000 Syrians killed, more than four million refugees, approximately eight million displaced inside Syria, close to 650,000 Syrians living in areas under regime besiegement and completely cut off from humanitarian access, and twelve million Syrians inside of the country in need of humanitarian assistance.”

In his new book Syria, professor Samer Abboud provides an in-depth analysis of Syria`s descent into civil war. He unravels the complex and multi-layered causes of the current political and military stalemate, the destructive role of international and regional actors, and the rise of competing centers of power throughout the country. He says that as "this situation persists, the continued fighting is reshaping Syria’s borders and will have repercussions on the wider Middle East for decades to come.”



Professor Samer Abboud spoke with Shahram Aghamir about how the Assad regime has survived so far into the conflict and the future of Syria. Samer Abboud is an associate professor of History and International Studies at Arcadia University.