In 2011 Syria, what began as peaceful democratic protests against the government as part of the broader Arab Spring soon morphed into massive demonstrations that were met with police resistance. Eventually, a civil war erupted that lasted over a decade; though sparked by discontent with the authoritarian regime of then-president Bashar al-Asaad, the conflict became entangled with sectarian religious and ethnic divisions within the country (for instance, between the country’s majority Sunni Muslim population and the Shia minority, which included Asaad himself). The conflict also prompted various outside actors, including the US, to intervene on behalf of one faction or another.

The war was extremely bloody; while estimates of the death toll vary, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights puts it at over 650,000, with close to 200,000 of those killed being civilians (Nagpaul, Sunny. “‘What They Left Behind’: A Look at the Human Toll of the Syrian War.” PBS, 10 Jun. 2025). Millions more were displaced: In the first 10 years of the war, about half the country’s population fled and took refuge elsewhere, many in neighboring countries like Lebanon and Jordan. The fighting also took a devastating toll on Syria’s infrastructure: “Hundreds of medical facilities were bombed,” and there were “shortages of medical supplies in many parts of the country” (“Syrian Conflict Timeline: 10 Years of Violence, Struggle, and Survival.” Doctors Without Borders, 12 Mar. 2021).

In Kareem Between, the Syrian Civil War has an impact on Kareem’s family both there and in the United States. When Mama and Baba are deciding what to do about her ailing father in Syria, Mama tells Baba that he cannot go because “They’ll force [him] to / be in the army” (27). As a result, it is Mama who returns to retrieve her parents because Jido, Kareem’s grandfather, has a heart condition and needs medical care. Jido’s medical situation reflects the dire consequences of the war, which left many without medical care or treatment. Furthermore, after Jido’s death, Mama and Tete flee to Lebanon for safety, as many families were forced to do.