7 basic questions about the war in Syria

The Syrian war has been a slowly unfolding catastrophe, one that has embroiled several of the world's major powers. Here is a look at how the war started, why it became so complicated and what might happen next.

How did the war in Syria start?

In March 2011, peaceful protests broke out in the country as part of the Arab Spring uprisings. Organizers called on Assad to undertake democratic reforms, but his government responded with violence. Some of the protesters then teamed up with military defectors to form the Free Syrian Army, which sought to overthrow the government. By 2012, this armed struggle had devolved into a full-blown civil war.