Over the past 16 months, Syria has been one of the world’s hotspots of violence that has left the international community deadlocked in its ongoing search for a peaceful solution.

According to estimates by the United Nations, the conflict in Syria has claimed thousands of casualties since it began in March 2011. And in light of a recent string of violent clashes, an end to the crisis does not seem to be in sight.

The reason I am once again picking up on an event related to the Arab Spring is that recent developments in Syria have triggered off what may be regarded as a new phase in a conflict that has turned from a show of dissent into a civil war.

For days now, the Syrian capital of Damascus has been the showplace of intensifying clashes between rebels and government forces. Residents have described the events as some of the fiercest fighting that has hit the city thus far, whilst rebels have named it ‘Operation Damascus Volcano’ – the final battle to liberate the Syrian capital. Yet doubts have been cast over whether the situation actually classifies as a true battle over Damascus, due to the mismatch of force employed by the opposing groups. As clashes are moving ever so close to the centre of the regime’s power, government forces are flexing all their muscles to assert their power over the capital and crush the rebellion. Their display of power relies upon the deployment of heavy weapons, mortar shells and snipers, whilst rebel groups are reportedly fighting with light weapons.

This upsurge in violence follows a string of brutal killings that has been reported in recent times. Some may remember the harrowing accounts of a massacre in the Syrian town of Houla at the end of May, which claimed over a hundred casualties, most of whom women and children. Latest reports come from the small farming village of Tremseh, where mass killings took place on 12 July. According to UN observers on the ground, the regime led the attack with heavy artillery – a claim that the Syrian authorities have since denied.

In the midst of this turmoil comes a recent declaration by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that defines the conflict in Syria as a “non-international armed conflict” – meaning that the country is now officially experiencing a civil war. The ICRC had previously identified single hotspots in Syria as being in a state of civil war but the latest declaration extends to the rest of the country.

While this declaration may not quell the violence on the ground, it can change the rules of engagement in the conflict. The International Committee of the Red Cross is the guardian of the Geneva Convention, which lays out the rules of warfare. The latest declaration by the ICRC gives effect to this very Convention. This means that all incidents of hostility between the opposing groups are henceforth subject to international humanitarian law. This law places civilians and detainees under its protection and makes all combatants liable for war crimes prosecution, should they violate the rules of engagement.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts have equally been stepped up in order to rally international support for a peaceful solution.

Kofi Annan, the UN and Arab League envoy in charge of brokering a solution for Syria, held a crucial meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to save his six-point peace plan for the country. Its centrepiece is a ceasefire by all parties, though the plan has thus far been unable to stem the violence in the country.

The UN has a 300-strong observer mission in Syria, whose mandate is set to run out in a couple of days at the time of writing. The UN is hence looking to extend its observer mission, but hopes for a new resolution are overshadowed by a deadlock in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Western Council members are willing to extend the mission on condition that it is made subject to Chapter 7 of the UN Charter. In this case, non-compliance by the Syrian government could eventually be addressed with military action. Conversely, the Russians have made it clear that they are vehemently opposed to any mention of Chapter 7. Kofi Annan has hence employed his diplomatic efforts to broker a compromise to break the deadlock. An upcoming vote in the UNSC will show whether his efforts will bear fruit.

This is a crucial time, both for Syria and the international community. It is a tipping point in a conflict that has ravaged a country for over a year. One can only hope that international efforts will be made to leverage this watershed moment and make it a tipping point towards peace rather than escalation. As it stands, only a unified international front will be able to liberate the country from the firm grip of violence.

David Casa is a Nationalist MEP