Yeah, he's a "dictator", just like the leaders of many other Middle Eastern countries. Including the ones we call allies. And yes he's fighting a civil war. He's been doing it for over six years now. 

If all the people of Syria wanted Assad gone.... if even MOST of the people of Syria wanted him gone... he would've been dead within a year of the civil war starting. But they don't want him gone, because the alternative to Assad is Islamic State. Better the devil you know than that one.