Strategic Assessment

The Syrian civil war is profoundly reshaping the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region at the demographic, social, political, and economic levels, and the consequences of this bloody conflict will be felt for generations to come. This is especially true when assessing the long term impact of the war’s legacy on Syria’s youngest generations. The article analyzes both the broader role of children in the ongoing civil war and the war’s devastating effect, examining the long term implications for Syria’s future stability and resilience. It narrows in on the especially destructive role played by the Islamic State for Syria’s children and youth – again assessing the impact of this trend on both human security as well as international stability.