The Arab Winter[1][2][3][4][5] is a term for the wide-scale violence and instability evolving in the aftermath of the 2011 Arab Spring protests in Arab League countries.
The term Arab Winter refers to the events across the Arab World, including the Syrian Civil War,[6][7] the Iraqi insurgency,[8] the Egyptian Crisis,[9] the Libyan Crisis[10] and the Crisis in Yemen.[11] Political developments, particularly the restoration of authoritarianism and suppression of civil liberties, in Egypt since 3 July 2013 have been described as constituting a "military winter" that functioned in opposition to the goals of the Arab Spring.[12][13] The arenas of Lebanon and Bahrain were also identified as areas of the Arab Winter.[14] Libya was put as a scene of the Arab Winter, together with Syria, by Prof. Sean Yom.[15] The Northern Mali conflict was often described as part of the "Islamist Winter".[16]
The Arab Winter is characterized by the emergence of multiple regional civil wars, mounting regional instability,[17] economic and demographic decline of Arab countries,[14] and ethno-religious sectarian strife.[18] According to a study by the American University of Beirut, as of summer 2014 the Arab Winter resulted in nearly a quarter of a million deaths and millions of refugees.[19]
According to the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, as of January 2014, the cost of Arab Winter upheaval across the Arab World is some 800 billion USD.[14] Some 16 million people in Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey were expected to require humanitarian assistance in 2014.[14]
The Syrian conflict began with protests against president Bashar al-Assad. After armed conflict broke out, support for Islamist groups such as the al-Nusra Front grew as other groups like the Free Syrian Army were accused of corruption and criminality.[20][21] This war has also created spillovers in Lebanon[22] and Iraq.[23]
Events have taken place in Egypt that led to the removal of Mohamed Morsi and the seizure of power by General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in an anti-Muslim Brotherhood campaign.[24] Various militias and tribes have started fighting in Libya after a breakdown in negotiations.[15] Changes have also occurred in Tunisia involving a change in government.[24][clarification needed]
^"In Mali AQ achieved to infiltrate and take over Tuareg insurgency. If AQ succeeds to keep the Arab Spring countries destabilized, this will lead to a viral reproduction of Azawad scenario. AQ is the "Islamic Winter"." [1]
This list includes post-Ottoman conflicts (after 1918) of at least 100 fatalities each
Prolonged conflicts are listed in the decade when initiated; ongoing conflicts are marked italic