SYRIA'S CIVIL WAR EXPLAINED FROM THE BEGINNING

WHAT CAUSED THE UPRISING?

While lack of freedoms and economic woes drove resentment of the Syrian government, the harsh crackdown on protesters inflamed public anger.

Arab Spring: In 2011, successful uprisings - that became known as the Arab Spring - toppled Tunisia's and Egypt's presidents. This gave hope to Syrian pro-democracy activists.
That March, peaceful protests erupted in Syria as well, after 15 boys were detained and tortured for writing graffiti in support of the Arab Spring. One of the boys, a 13-year-old, was killed after having been brutally tortured.
The Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, responded to the protests by killing hundreds of demonstrators and imprisoning many more. 
In July 2011, defectors from the military announced the formation of the Free Syrian Army, a rebel group aiming to overthrow the government, and Syria began to slide into civil war.
While the protests in 2011 were mostly non-sectarian, the armed conflict surfaced starker sectarian divisions. Most Syrians are Sunni Muslims, but Syria's security establishment has long been dominated by members of the Alawi sect, of which Assad is a member.
In 1982, Bashar's father ordered a military crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood in Hama, killing tens of thousands of people and flattening much of the city.
Even global warming is said to have played a role in sparking the 2011 uprising. Severe drought plagued Syria from 2007-10, causing as many as 1.5 million people to migrate from the countryside into cities, exacerbating poverty and social unrest.
INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT

Foreign backing and open intervention have played a large role in Syria's civil war. Russia entered the conflict in 2015 and has been the Assad government's main ally since then. 

Regional actors: The governments of majority-Shia Iran and Iraq, and Lebanon-based Hezbollah, have supported Assad, while Sunni-majority countries, including Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia supported anti-Assad rebels.
Since 2016, Turkish troops have launched several operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) near its borders, as well as against Kurdish groups armed by the United States.
Anti-ISIL coalition: The US has armed anti-Assad rebel groups and led an international coalition bombing ISIL targets since 2014.
Israel carried out air raids inside Syria, reportedly targeting Hezbollah and pro-government fighters and facilities. 
The first time Syrian air defences shot down an Israeli warplane was in February 2018.
US and Russia 

The US has repeatedly stated its opposition to the Assad government backed by Russia but has not involved itself as deeply. 

Chemical red line: Former US President Barack Obama had warned that the use of chemical weapons in Syria was a "red line" that would prompt military intervention.
In April 2017, the US carried its first direct military action against Assad's forces, launching 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian air force base from which US officials believe a chemical attack on Khan Sheikhoun had been launched.
One year later, on April 14, despite Russian warnings, the US launched an attack together with France and the UK, at "chemical weapon sites".
CIA training: In 2013, the CIA began a covert programme to arm, fund and train rebel groups opposing Assad, but the programme was later shut down after it was revealed that the CIA had spent $500m but only trained 60 fighters.
Russia's campaign: In September 2015, Russia launched a bombing campaign against what it referred to as "terrorist groups" in Syria, which included ISIL as well as anti-Assad rebel groups backed by the USA. Russia has also deployed military advisers to shore up Assad's defences.
At the UN Security Council, Russia and China have repeatedly vetoed Western-backed resolutions on Syria.

PEACE TALKS

Peace negotiations have been ongoing between the Syrian government and the opposition in order to achieve a military ceasefire and political transition in Syria, but the main sticking point has been the fate of Assad.

Geneva: The first round of UN-facilitated talks between the Syrian government and opposition delegates took place in Geneva, Switzerland in June 2012. 
The  round of talks in December 2017 failed amid a tit-for-tat between the Syrian government and opposition delegates over statements about the future role of Assad in a transitional government.
In 2014 Staffan de Mistura replaced Kofi Annan as the UN special envoy for Syria.
Astana: In May 2017, Russia, Iran and Turkey called for the setup of four de-escalation zones in Syria, over which Syrian and Russian fighter jets were not expected to fly.
After denouncing plans to partition Syria in March 2018, a follow-up trilateral summit was held in Turkey to discuss the way forward.
Sochi: In January 2018, Russia sponsored talks over the future of Syria in the Black Sea city of Sochi, but the opposition bloc boycotted the conference, claiming it was an attempt to undercut the UN effort to broker a deal.
Astana talks: March 2018
        The ninth round of the Astana Process on Syrian peace took place on 16 March 2018.
        The trilateral ministerial  meeting on Syria was to include Iran, Russia and Turkey

THE SITUATION TODAY:

Fighting in Syria continues on several fronts:

Idlib: In February 2018, shelling by Russian and Syrian forces have intensified on Idlib, especially since fighters from the Hay'et Tahrir al-Sham group shot down a Russian warplane.
In April, Russia brokered a deal to evacuate opposition fighters from Eastern Ghoutain the south to Idlib in the north, Idlib being one of the few strongholds controlled by opposition fighters. 
The province is strategically important for the Syrian government and Russia for its proximity to the Russian-operated Syrian Khmeimim airbase.
Homs: In April, an airbase and other Syrian government facilities in Homs became again the target of Israeli and US-led air strikes in which UK and French forces also participated. 
The Syrian army recaptured the city of Homs in 2014, but fighting continues with rebels in the suburbs between Homs and Hama.
Afrin: Turkey and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) began in January 2018 a military operation against US-backed fighters in northwestern Syria, and announced the capture of Afrin's city centre in March.
US troops are stationed in nearby Manbij, prompting fears of a US-Turkey confrontation.
September  2018 - Russia and Turkey announce they have agreed to create a demilitarized zone in Syria's Idlib province, potentially thwarting a large-scale military operation and impending humanitarian disaster in the country's last rebel stronghold. The zone, which will be patrolled by Turkish and Russian military units, will become operational from October 15.

December  2018 - US President Trump tweets, "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency." A US defense official and an administration official tell CNN that planning for the "full" and "rapid" withdrawal of US military from Syria is already underway.
The world community needs to realize the impact of such a horrendous event that has destroyed the lives of millions of humans. Not only  does such a long drawn crisis threaten the safety and security of the world today  but also threatens to tarnish the image of this generation in the annals of history. Humans as a race need to find an amicable solution to this problem at the earliest and help restore  faith in humanity.

Sources:

www.worldvision.org
www.cnn.com
www.aljazeera.com
www.wikipedia.com