Arab Winter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arab Winter |
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Raqqa damaged from the Syrian Civil War
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| Date | 2014-present |
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The Arab Winter is a period of big changes and problems in the Arab world. It started around 2014. This time saw a return of strong, one-person rule (called authoritarianism). There was also a rise in absolute monarchies and extreme religious groups.
This period began about four years after the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring was a time when many people hoped for more freedom. But the Arab Winter brought many civil wars and lots of trouble in the region. Countries faced money problems and their populations struggled. There were also wars between different ethnic and religious groups.
By mid-2014, the Arab Winter had caused nearly 250,000 deaths. Millions of people became refugees, meaning they had to leave their homes. A very important event during this time was the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). ISIS became a major force from 2014 onwards.
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What happened during the Arab Winter?
Many serious events took place during the Arab Winter. These included several large conflicts and political shifts.
- The Syrian Civil War continued to rage.
- Iraq saw a new period of fighting and a civil war.
- Egypt went through a crisis. Its leader, Mohamed Morsi, was removed. General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi then came to power. This led to a crackdown on groups like the Muslim Brotherhood.
- Libya also faced a big crisis. Different armed groups and tribes began fighting each other. This happened after talks to form a new government failed.
- A crisis developed in Yemen, leading to more conflict.
- In Egypt, there was a return to strict government control. People's freedoms were limited starting in July 2013.
- Troubles also affected Lebanon and Bahrain.
- A conflict in Northern Mali was sometimes called part of the "Islamist Winter." This was because of the rise of Islamist groups.
- Tunisia saw changes in its government. There was also a possible rise of ISIS activity there.
A Chinese professor named Zhang Weiwei talked about an "Arab Winter" early on. He predicted it in a debate in June 2011. He said the "Arab Spring" would soon become a "winter" for the Middle East. He believed it would cause big problems for American interests. In early 2016, The Economist magazine said the Arab Winter was still happening. They even said it was "worse than ever."
What were the effects of the Arab Winter?
The Arab Winter had huge costs and consequences. It affected many people and countries.
According to the Moshe Dayan Center, the Arab Winter cost Arab countries a lot of money. By January 2014, it had cost about $800 billion USD. In 2014, about sixteen million people needed help. These people were in Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon.
A study from the American University of Beirut showed the human cost. By the summer of 2014, 250,000 people had died. Millions more became refugees. Political writer George Will noted that by early 2017, over 30,000 people had died in Libya. Between 220,000 and 320,000 people were killed in Syria. Also, 4 million people had fled the Syrian Civil War alone.
The chaos and violence caused many people to leave their homes. Many fled the Middle East and North Africa to Europe. This led to the European migrant crisis. The term "boat-people" became common again. It described refugees from Libya or Tunisia. They crossed the Mediterranean Sea to reach the European Union. Some European politicians worried about the large number of arrivals. Many European countries are now working on laws to manage people arriving at their borders.
Related pages
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- International military intervention against ISIL
- List of modern conflicts in North Africa
- Spillover of the Syrian Civil War
- Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
Images for kids
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A Syrian refugee camp on the Turkish border for displaced people of the Syrian Civil War (2012)
See also
In Spanish: Invierno Árabe para niños
