The Syrian conflict began as a civil war between the Syrian government led by President Assad and rebel groups seeking to overthrow the government. Both sides receive military support from foreign allies - Russia and Iran back Assad, while the US and UK support the rebels. The war has killed many civilians and humanitarian crisis has ensued. Peace talks have failed and bombings by all sides have exacerbated the conflict. The rise of ISIS has added further complexity by launching attacks in Syria and abroad. The war is now a stalemate with neither side able to gain significant new territory.