Chronology of the Syrian Revolution

D. SENDIANE Salim

2011

- March 15: First peaceful demonstrations in Damascus, calling for democratic reforms and the release of political prisoners.
- March 18: Violent crackdown on protests by the regime in Horan, resulting in the first martyrs.
- March 24: Decree-Law No. 54 issued, allowing peaceful demonstrations under strict conditions.
- April 21: State of emergency lifted after being in effect since 1963. However, this did not stop the intense repression of protests.
- April 21: The Bashar al-Assad regime abolishes the State Security Court, a special judicial body established in 1968 under the Baath Party regime, known for trying political opponents and systematic human rights violations.
- April 25: Military offensive begins in Deraa, the first city besieged by the regime.
- May 31: Decree-Law No. 61 on general amnesty issued, including political prisoners and Muslim Brotherhood members, but releases are limited.
- June 9: Lieutenant Colonel Hussein Harmoush becomes the first officer to publicly defect from the Syrian army, denouncing the violent crackdown on peaceful protesters.
- July 29: Colonel Riad al-Asaad announces from Turkey the formation of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), aiming to unite defected soldiers to protect protesters and oppose the Syrian regime.
- September 15: Formation of the Syrian National Council (SNC) in Istanbul to represent the Syrian opposition.
- November 12: The Arab League suspends Syria and proposes an initiative to end the crisis, rejected by the regime.
- December 19: Syria agrees to the deployment of Arab League observers, but violence continues on the ground.

2012

- January: Jabhat al-Nusra forms as an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria.
- January 28: The Arab League observer mission in Syria, led by Sudanese General Muhammad Ahmed al-Dabi, suspends operations. The mission, deployed on December 26, 2011, aimed to monitor the situation and promote a peace plan but was criticized for perceived bias. It was followed by the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS).
- February 26: 2012 Syrian constitutional referendum approved by 89.4% of voters, with an official turnout of 57.4%. The new constitution takes effect on February 27 after being ratified by Bashar al-Assad.
- March 30: Kofi Annan presents a six-point peace plan, calling for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access, release of political prisoners, and inclusive dialogue between the regime and opposition.
- April 21: UN Security Council Resolution 2043 establishes UNSMIS, initially comprising 300 unarmed military observers to monitor the implementation of Annan’s peace plan. The mission withdraws on August 19 due to escalating violence.
- June 12: UN declares Syria in a state of civil war, as stated by Hervé Ladsous, head of UN peacekeeping operations.
- June 30: Geneva I Agreement under UN auspices (Annan Plan) calls for a political transition with a national unity government.
- July 26: Creation of the Counter-Terrorism Court under Legislative Decree No. 22, used to prosecute and suppress regime opponents under the pretext of "terrorism," often without basic judicial standards.
- July 26: Battle of Aleppo begins, marking a major escalation in fighting in urban areas.
- August 16: UN officially designates Syria as a "civil war" zone.
- November 11: Formation of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (NCSROF) in Doha, Qatar, uniting various opposition factions.

2013

- April 8: Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/ISIS) is established.
- April: ISIS clashes with Jabhat al-Nusra for control of Syrian territories, particularly in Raqqa and Alep.
- April 16: Legislative Decree No. 23 issued, granting amnesty for certain crimes committed before this date.
- August 21: Chemical attack in Ghouta, near Damascus, kills hundreds. The international community accuses the Assad regime.
- September 27: UN Security Council Resolution 2118 mandates Syria to dismantle its chemical weapons under the supervision of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
- December: Internal fighting begins between ISIS and other rebel groups.

 

2014

- January: ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra engage in open warfare for control of Islamist-held territories in Syria.
- February 10: Syrian regime issues Legislative Decree No. 22, granting partial amnesty for certain crimes committed before this date.
- January 14: ISIS captures Raqqa after fierce fighting with rebels, making it the first provincial capital to fall entirely out of regime control.
- May 5: Forced displacement of residents from Baba Amr neighborhood in Homs after a prolonged siege and intense fighting.
- June 3: Presidential election in Syria, widely criticized internationally. Bashar al-Assad is re-elected with 88.7% of the vote, according to official figures.
- June 29: ISIS declares a "caliphate" under Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, renaming itself the "Islamic State" (IS).
- July 14: UN Security Council Resolution 2165 addresses humanitarian access in Syria.
- September 23: US-led coalition begins airstrikes against ISIS in Syria.

 

2015

- March 28: Rebel coalition captures Idlib, a major strategic loss for the regime.
- January 26: ISIS driven out of Kobani by Kurdish forces with coalition support.
- May 1: ISIS seizes Palmyra after clashes with regime forces.
- September 30: Russia launches a military campaign in support of the Syrian regime, marking a strategic turning point.
- December 18: UN Security Council Resolution 2254 establishes a roadmap for a ceasefire and political transition, calling for negotiations between the regime and opposition under UN mediation.

 

2016

- March 25: Regime forces, backed by Russia and pro-Assad militias, retake Palmyra from ISIS.
- July: Jabhat al-Nusra splits from Al-Qaeda, rebranding as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham to improve relations with other rebel groups.
- August: Forced evacuation of Daraya in western Ghouta after a four-year siege.
- August 6: Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-Arab coalition backed by the US, capture Manbij from ISIS.
- August 24: Rebel forces, supported by Turkish airstrikes and tanks, retake Jarablus.
- December 22: Pro-regime forces, with Russian air support, fully recapture Aleppo. Afghan (Fatemiyoun) and Pakistani (Zaynabiyoun) brigades, Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, and Iranian Revolutionary Guards are involved.
- December: Forced evacuation of civilians and rebels from eastern Aleppo to Idlib after the regime’s takeover.

2017

- January: Several rebel groups, including Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, merge to form Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a dominant Islamist entity in northwest Syria.
- January 23: Astana talks begin in Kazakhstan, organized by Russia, Turkey, and Iran to discuss de-escalation zones and practical solutions to reduce hostilities.
- February 24: Rebel forces, backed by Turkey, capture Al-Bab from ISIS.
- March-May: Forced evacuation of residents and fighters from al-Waer in Homs to Idlib.
- March: HTS intensifies clashes with ISIS to secure control over Idlib.
- April 4: Chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib.
- April 7: US conducts airstrikes in Syria in response to the Khan Sheikhoun attack.
- April-May: Forced evacuation of rebel-held villages in northern Hama to Idlib.
- May: Forced displacement of residents from Qaboun and Barzeh in Damascus to Idlib.
- October: Displacement of rebels and civilians from Raqqa after its capture by SDF.
- December 2017-March 2018: HTS conducts operations against ISIS in Jabal al-Zawiya and rural areas of Hama and Alep.

 

2018

- January-February: Forced displacement of residents from western Aleppo to Idlib.
- January 20: Turkey launches Operation "Olive Branch" against SDF in Afrin, capturing the city by March 18.
- January 30: Sochi Conference organized by Russia to discuss Syria’s political future.
- March: Evacuation of fighters and civilians from Qalamoun to Idlib.
- March 31: Regime recaptures eastern Ghouta after a brutal siege and negotiations leading to rebel evacuations.
- March-April: Mass forced evacuations from eastern Ghouta, including Douma, Arbin, and Harasta.
- May 21: Regime announces full control over Damascus and its surroundings for the first time since 2012.
- July: Mass deportations to Idlib after the regime retakes Deraa.
- August: New wave of forced displacements from northern Hama.
- September 17: Russia-Turkey agreement in Sochi to avoid a regime offensive on Idlib, establishing a demilitarized zone.
- December 27: UAE reopens its embassy in Damascus, signaling a step toward normalization.

 

2019

- January 29-February 1: Sochi Constitutional Congress organized by Russia to initiate constitutional reforms.
- March 23: SDF declares the end of ISIS’s territorial caliphate after capturing Baghouz.
- April 8: US designates Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, escalating tensions in Syria.
- August 2: US and Turkey agree to create a "safe zone" in northeast Syria.
- October 9: Turkey launches Operation "Peace Spring" against Kurdish forces (SDF/YPG) in northeast Syria.
- October 13: Kurdish forces strike a deal with the Syrian regime to deploy loyalist troops near the Turkish border.
- October 22: Russia and Turkey agree to share control of northeast Syria, with joint patrols.
- October 27: ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi kills himself during a US raid in northwest Syria.
- December 2019-March 2020: Mass displacement to northern Idlib due to regime and Russian offensives.

 

2020

- January 3: Iranian General Qassem Soleimani killed by a US strike in Iraq, escalating tensions in Syria.
- March 1: Turkey announces Operation "Spring Shield" against regime forces.
- March 5: Russia and Turkey agree to a ceasefire in Idlib, with joint patrols on the M4 highway.
- April 30: WHO warns of high COVID-19 risk in Syria due to the country’s precarious situation.
- June 17: US imposes severe economic sanctions on Syria under the "Caesar Act."
- December 10: WFP warns of critical humanitarian conditions, with 9.3 million Syrians facing food insecurity.

 

2021

- February 24: Syrian officer Eyad Al-Gharib convicted of crimes against humanity by a German court.
- May 26: Bashar al-Assad re-elected for a fourth term with 95.1% of the vote in regime-held areas.
- July 12: UN renews cross-border humanitarian aid through Bab al-Hawa for rebel-held Idlib.
- September 1: Truce agreement in Deraa allows partial return of regime forces.

 

2022

- February 3: ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi kills himself during a US raid in northwest Syria.
- February 22: Syria supports Russia’s recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine.
- January 13: Former Syrian intelligence officer Anwar Raslan convicted of crimes against humanity in Germany.
- March 2022: Assad visits UAE, signaling Syria’s reintegration into the Arab world.
- June 18-20: Clashes between Turkey-backed factions in northern Syria.
- July 20: Syria cuts diplomatic ties with Ukraine.
- September 22: Migrant boat sinks off Syria’s coast, killing 71.
- September 26: Cholera outbreak in Syria claims 29 lives, with 338 confirmed cases.
- November 20-21: Turkey launches Operation "Claw-Sword" against Kurdish targets in Syria and Iraq.

 

2023

- February 6: 7.8 magnitude earthquake hits southern Turkey and northern Syria, causing thousands of deaths and widespread destruction.
- May 7: Arab League unanimously votes to reintegrate Syria, ending over a decade of diplomatic isolation.
- May 19: Assad attends Arab League summit in Jeddah, his first since the conflict began.
- August 17: Protests erupt in Sweida over economic deterioration and inflation.
- November 11: Assad attends Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh.
- September 28: Israeli airstrike targets military base near Aleppo, damaging the international airport.

 

2024

- May 24: Syrian officials convicted in France for crimes during the Syrian conflict.
- May 16: Assad attends the 33rd Arab League summit in Bahrain.
- July 15: Baath Party-led coalition wins parliamentary elections with 185 out of 250 seats.
- September 8: Israel conducts an airstrike on a weapons factory linked to Iran near Masyaf.
- October 8: Thousands of Syrian and Lebanese refugees flee Israeli bombings at the Masnaa border crossing.
- November 27: Rebel factions launch Operation "Response to Aggression," capturing Aleppo in six hours.
- December 4-5: Intense fighting in Hama governorate; rebels capture Hama city.
- December 8: Bashar al-Assad flees Damascus as rebels take control, ending 54 years of Assad family rule. Assad reportedly granted asylum in Russia for "humanitarian reasons."