By intervening, however, the central government would risk reigniting the passions that flared in 2014 when demonstrators paralysed business districts with sit-ins for several weeks.

My mother was paralysed for six years, from a month after my sister was born.

Five years into civil war, the president, Bashar al-Assad, remained undefeated and the international community paralysed, unable to decide which, if any, side to support.