Syrian Civil War: Facts & Timeline
Syrian Civil War: Refugee and asylum-seeker statistics- Over half of Syria’s population is displaced due to the continuation of hostilities, with an estimated 16.7 million people requiring emergency aid in 2024. Approximately 6.5 million are recognized as refugees and asylum-seekers. The Syrian Civil War began in 2011 over concerns such as employment, corruption, and democracy.
In this article, we’ll talk about the Syrian Civil War: Facts & Timeline. We will cover what happened during the war, when it started, how it unfolded over time, and the impact of war.
Table of Content
- Syrian Civil War Overview
- Syrian Civil War Key Facts
- Syrian Civil War Timeline
- Uprising
- Civil war
- Impact of Syrian Civil War
- Conclusion
- FAQs on Syrian Civil War: Facts & Timeline
Syrian Civil War Overview
The Syrian Civil War started in 2011 because people in Syria wanted more freedom. They were tired of their government, led by President Bashar al-Assad which had been in power for a long time and didn’t allow much freedom.
The government used violence to stop the protests, and soon there was fighting all over the country between the government and people who wanted change. This fighting caused a lot of damage and suffering, and many people had to leave their homes to escape the violence. Different groups started fighting each other, and countries like Iran, Russia, Turkey, and the United States got involved too, supporting different sides.
Over the years, many people have been killed or injured, and millions have had to leave their homes. Despite efforts to make peace, the war is still going on, and many people are still suffering.
Syrian Civil War Key Facts
The Syrian Civil War began in 2011 after protests against the government turned violent. It involves various groups, including the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, rebel groups, and extremist organizations like ISIL. Countries like Russia, Iran, Turkey, and the United States have also gotten involved.
The war has caused a humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced and seeking refuge. Both sides have been accused of committing atrocities, including the use of chemical weapons. Despite attempts at peace talks, the conflict continues, impacting the region and leading to a global refugee crisis.
Date |
February 2011 – present |
---|---|
Location |
Syria |
Participants |
Free Syrian Army • Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant |
Context |
Arab Spring |
Syrian Civil War Timeline
Key events in Syria 1946–2010
Here are the key events in Syria from 1946 to 2010:
Year |
Event |
---|---|
1946 |
Syria gains independence from France. |
1947 |
Baʿth party holds its first congress. |
1948 |
Syria joins the Arab-Israeli War. |
1949 |
Multiple military coups occur, leading to political instability. |
1951 |
Military dictatorship is established under Shishakli. |
1954 |
Shishakli is overthrown, and civilian government is restored. |
1958 |
Syria and Egypt merge to form the United Arab Republic. |
1961 |
Syria becomes independent again after a military coup. |
1963 |
Baʿthist officers seize power, beginning Baʿth party rule. |
1966 |
Left-wing Baʿthists led by Jadid seize power. |
1967 |
Syria is defeated in the Six-Day War with Israel. |
1970 |
Assad takes power in a coup, ending Jadid’s rule. |
1973 |
Syria attacks Israel in the Yom Kippur War. |
1976 |
Syria intervenes in the Lebanese Civil War. |
1979 |
Syria is designates a state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. |
1980 |
Islamist opposition to Assad regime grows. |
1982 |
Syrian military suppresses Islamist uprising in Ḥamāh. |
1990 |
Syria joins the U.S.-led coalition against Iraq. |
1994 |
Assad’s eldest son, Basil, dies in a car accident. |
2000 |
Assad dies, and Bashar al-Assad becomes president. |
2001 |
Bashar initiates crackdown on reformist activists. |
2004 |
UN Resolution 1559 calls for Syrian troop withdrawal from Lebanon. |
2005 |
Former Lebanese PM Rafiq al-Hariri is assassinated. |
2008 |
Syria and Lebanon establish diplomatic relations. |
2010 |
Syrian government prohibits teachers from wearing the niqāb. |
Uprising in Syria, 2011
Date |
Event |
---|---|
Feb 2011 |
Small protests occur in Syria, inspired by movements in other Arab countries. Security forces make arrests. |
Mar 6, 2011 |
Syrian police detain children for antigovernment graffiti in Darʿā. |
Mar 15, 2011 |
Antigovernment protests spread across multiple Syrian cities. |
Mar 19, 2011 |
Security forces seal off Darʿā to contain protests. |
Mar 24, 2011 |
Security forces reportedly kill dozens in a Darʿā demonstration. |
Mar 29, 2011 |
President Assad dismisses the cabinet amidst rising protests. |
Mar 30, 2011 |
Assad blames foreign conspiracies for unrest in his first speech addressing the protests. |
Apr 6, 2011 |
Syria shuts down its only casino and allows teachers to wear the niqāb. |
Apr 12, 2011 |
Heavy military force is used against protest hubs in Bāniyās and Homs. |
Apr 16, 2011 |
Assad promises to lift the emergency law but offers no concrete reforms. |
Apr 19, 2011 |
Emergency law is lifted, but opposition sees it as a cosmetic change. |
Apr 28, 2011 |
Baʿth Party members resign in protest, and death toll exceeds 500. |
May 9, 2011 |
EU imposes arms embargo and sanctions on Syrian officials. |
May 19, 2011 |
US imposes sanctions on Syrian officials, extended to Assad later. |
May 30, 2011 |
Protesters react to images of a tortured boy, Hamza al-Khatib. |
Jun 6, 2011 |
Government reports soldiers killed by armed gangs; opposition claims soldiers were executed. |
Jun 10, 2011 |
Syrian troops move into Jisr al-Shughūr; residents flee to Turkey. |
Jun 20, 2011 |
Assad blames foreign conspiracies again in his third speech. |
Jun 27, 2011 |
Some opposition leaders hold a rare public meeting in Damascus. |
Jul 1, 2011 |
Large protests occur, especially in Ḥamāh. |
Jul 3, 2011 |
Troops are sent to Ḥamāh, leading to house raids and arrests. |
Jul 7, 2011 |
US ambassador visits Ḥamāh, drawing condemnation from Syria. |
Jul 8, 2011 |
Massive demonstrations continue in Ḥamāh; French ambassador also visits. |
Jul 11, 2011 |
Assad supporters attack US and French embassies in Damascus. |
Jul 25, 2011 |
Cabinet approves a draft law allowing new political parties, criticized by the opposition. |
Jul 29, 2011 |
Defectors announce the formation of the Free Syrian Army. |
Aug 3, 2011 |
UN Security Council condemns Syria for violence against protesters. |
Aug 4, 2011 |
Assad enacts the law allowing new political parties. |
Aug 8, 2011 |
Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia recall ambassadors from Syria. |
Aug 17, 2011 |
Assad claims military operations have ceased in a call with UN Secretary-General. |
Aug 18, 2011 |
Western leaders call for Assad’s resignation. |
Aug 23, 2011 |
UN reports over 2,200 deaths; Human Rights Council investigates. |
Sep 2, 2011 |
EU bans import of Syrian oil. |
Sep 8, 2011 |
Iranian president urges Assad to end violence. |
Sep 15, 2011 |
Syrian National Council is formed. |
Sep 27, 2011 |
Syrian troops clash with army defectors in Al-Rastan. |
Oct 2, 2011 |
Syrian National Council calls for international support. |
Oct 4, 2011 |
China and Russia veto a UN resolution condemning Syria. |
Oct 14, 2011 |
UN reports 3,000 killed since protests began. |
Oct 29, 2011 |
Arab League denounces Syrian violence. |
Nov 1, 2011 |
Syria agrees to Arab League dialogue plan. |
Nov 8, 2011 |
UN reports 3,500 killed; Arab League suspends Syria. |
Nov 12, 2011 |
Free Syrian Army attacks government forces. |
Nov 27, 2011 |
Arab League imposes sanctions on Syria. |
Dec 7, 2011 |
Assad defends government response; elections held. |
Dec 13, 2011 |
UN reports over 5,000 killed; Syria agrees to Arab League peace plan. |
Dec 22, 2011 |
Arab League monitors enter Syria. |
Dec 27, 2011 |
UN official reports ongoing violence despite monitors. |
Jan 2, 2012 |
Arab League confirms withdrawal of some military vehicles. |
Jan 4, 2012 |
Opposition accuses Syria of hiding military forces. |
Jan 28, 2012 |
UN reports over 7,500 civilian deaths. |
Feb 4, 2012 |
Russia and China veto UN resolution; Homs attacked. |
Feb 16, 2012 |
UN General Assembly condemns Syrian crackdown. |
Feb 23, 2012 |
Kofi Annan appointed as peace envoy. |
Feb 27, 2012 |
Syria claims high turnout in referendum. |
Feb 29, 2012 |
UN reports over 7,500 civilian deaths. |
May 10, 2012 |
Suicide bombing kills over 50 at military base. |
Sep 25, 2012 |
Market fire in Aleppo amid heavy fighting. |
Nov 11, 2012 |
Opposition forms National Coalition. |
Uprising
In January 2011, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad talked to The Wall Street Journal. They asked if he thought protests happening in other Arab countries would also happen in Syria. Assad thought Syria would be safe from protests because his government opposed the United States and Israel, which he believed matched what most Syrians wanted.
But soon after the interview, protests started in Syria too. This showed that Assad’s situation was more serious than he thought. Syria already had many problems with its politics and economy that made people unhappy. Assad was supposed to bring positive changes when he became president in 2000. However, he didn’t fulfill those hopes. Instead, he used strict rules like his father did, and many people who opposed him faced violence. Assad also changed the economy to help his friends get richer, making the gap between rich and poor bigger.
Another problem was a long drought from 2006 to 2010 which made many farming families poor. They moved to cities for help but found none.
The protests began in Darʿa in March 2011 when children were arrested for writing against the government. People protested for political and economic changes, but the government responded harshly, arresting and shooting at them. This made more people join the protests in other cities too. Videos of the violence spread quickly, making more people angry.
Most protesters were Sunni Muslims, while Assad and his family were from the ʿAlawite minority. Many in the security forces were also Alawite and attacked protesters. At first, people from all religions protested together, but later, divisions became stronger. Assad said the protesters were terrorists and tried to scare minorities into supporting him.
As protests grew so did the violence from the government. Some protesters started fighting back, and in June, Syrian troops attacked a town, sending many people to Turkey as refugees.
Countries around Syria took sides. The United States and Europe criticized Assad and asked him to leave. Countries like Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia also opposed him. But Iran and Russia supported Assad and blocked efforts to condemn him at the United Nations.
Civil war
In 2015, Russia got more involved in the conflict in Syria by sending troops and military equipment to an air base near Latakia. They started airstrikes in September, initially claiming to target ISIL but actually hitting mostly rebels fighting against Assad to support their ally.
Later, in 2016, Russian and Syrian government forces focused on the eastern part of Aleppo, bombing heavily. They didn’t try to avoid civilian casualties, hitting medical facilities and aid workers. This drew condemnation from human rights groups, but they continued until the rebels collapsed in December.
By 2016, ISIL faced pressure from multiple sides, weakening in northern and eastern Syria due to confrontations with Kurdish forces, pro-Assad Syrian forces supported by Iran and Russia, and Turkish-backed rebel groups. The US-led air campaign also weakened ISIL. ISIL’s rivals joined forces and fought against them. Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) cleared ISIL from Raqqa, its capital, with US support.
Western governments intervened more as the conflict continued. The US attacked a Syrian air base in response to a chemical weapons attack in 2017. A year later, US, British, and French forces targeted Syrian chemical weapons facilities.
Israel targeted Iranian military in Syria in 2018, leading to heavy fighting. Syrian government forces, backed by Russia, recaptured rebel-held territories in 2018. They made deals allowing rebels safe passage to Idlib in exchange for surrendering.
In Idlib, tensions rose as Syrian government forces, supported by Russia, launched offensives despite agreements for buffer zones. Turkey intervened to prevent radical groups from taking over. In 2019, Syrian forces launched offensives in Idlib, leading to clashes with Turkish forces.
In 2019, Turkey launched an offensive into Syria’s Kurdish-held northeast region, aiming to destabilize Kurdish separatists and create a safe zone for Syrian refugees. Kurdish forces allied with Assad’s government to counter Turkish advances.
Tensions escalated in 2020 when Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike, leading to retaliation against Syrian forces. A general cease-fire was negotiated by Turkey and Russia shortly after.
Impact of Syrian Civil War
The impact of the war in Syria extends far beyond its borders, affecting millions of lives and leaving a trail of devastation across the country. Efforts to address the humanitarian, economic, and environmental consequences of the conflict remain critical to alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people and fostering stability and recovery in the region.
Humanitarian Crisis:
The war has resulted in a staggering loss of life, with over 500,000 deaths, and has displaced more than 6 million people. Additionally, the conflict has unleashed a humanitarian crisis characterized by sexual violence, abusive detention practices, and mass arrest campaigns, leaving many Syrians in dire need of assistance and protection.
Economic Collapses:
Syria’s economy has been significantly crippled by the war, experiencing a drastic decline in GDP by more than half between 2010 and 2020. The destruction of physical infrastructure, casualties, and disruption of economic networks have all contributed to the economic devastation faced by the country.
Environmental Degradation:
The conflict has had detrimental environmental consequences, including unregulated logging and intense forest fires that have ravaged over 36% of forested areas in the western part of Syria. This environmental degradation exacerbates the challenges faced by Syrians, further compounding their plight.
Displacement Crisis:
The war has triggered one of the largest displacement crises globally, with an estimated 13 million people forced to flee their homes. This includes 6.2 million internally displaced persons and 5.6 million refugees seeking safety in neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, placing immense strain on host communities and humanitarian resources.
Destruction of Infrastructure and Cultural Heritage:
The war has resulted in the widespread destruction of infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and residential buildings. Ancient cities and cultural heritage sites have also been damaged or destroyed, robbing Syrians of their cultural identity and heritage.
Other Impacts:
Beyond the staggering loss of life and displacement, the war has led to the destruction of ancient cities, the use of chemical weapons and bombs, and Turkey’s invasion and occupation of parts of northeastern Syria. These developments exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and further destabilize the region.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the war in Syria has caused immense suffering and devastation for the Syrian people. With millions displaced, countless lives lost, and widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure, the impact of the conflict is profound. The humanitarian crisis is severe, with millions in need of assistance and protection. As the conflict continues, efforts to address the root causes of the war, provide humanitarian aid, and work towards a peaceful resolution remain crucial. It is essential for the international community to come together to support the Syrian people and strive for lasting peace and stability in the region.
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FAQs on Syrian Civil War: Facts & Timeline
What caused the Syrian Civil War?
The Syrian Civil War began in 2011 when Syrians protested against their government, seeking more freedom and democracy. The government’s violent crackdown on the protests led to armed resistance and escalated into a full-scale conflict.
How long has the Syrian Civil War been going on?
The war has been ongoing for over a decade since it began in March 2011.
Who is involved in the Syrian Civil War?
Various groups are involved, including the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, rebel groups fighting against the government, extremist groups like ISIS, and international actors supporting different factions.
What role has the international community played in the conflict?
Many countries have been involved, either supporting the Syrian government or rebel groups. Russia and Iran support the Syrian government, while the United States and some European countries support rebel groups. Additionally, there have been diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution, but they have had limited success.
What are the main consequences of the Syrian Civil War?
The war has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced from their homes and seeking refuge in other countries. It has also led to widespread destruction, loss of life, and the rise of extremist groups like ISIS.