The Syrian civil war, now considered the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War, counts three million refugees and seven million persons displaced. The Islamic State emerged from Syria to take the Iraqi city of Mosul and, in August, the Nineveh Plain, forcing more than 120,000 people — mainly minority Yazidis and Christians — to run for their lives.
We also witnessed a brutal confrontation between Hamas and Israel that left 110,000 Palestinians in Gaza homeless and 2,300 dead — including 513 children. About 8,000 Israelis had to evacuate their homes, while 66 soldiers and five civilians lost their lives.
The region is in crisis mainly because unresolved conflicts are tearing it apart. This has created a political vacuum, where the most violent groups have become a major threat to the whole region and, eventually, the world.
Digital Columnists
The article you have requested is only available to subscribers of the Catholic Register.
There are two ways to read this article.
1. Subscribe to our digital edition and read the complete newspaper, plus additional features, on your PC, laptop or tablet. Subscription rates start at just $3.99.
2. Subscribe to our weekly newspaper and have the print edition delivered right to you door each week.