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Begining of conflict
The protest movement was known as the Arab Spring. Protesters demanded the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad, whose family has held the presidency in Syria since 1971, as well as the end of Ba'ath Party rule. The protests were triggered by the incarceration and torture of several young students, who were arrested for writing anti-government graffiti in the city. -
Period: to
Syrian Civil War
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conflict
On 20 March, a mob burned down the Ba'ath Party headquarters and other public buildings. Security forces quickly responded, firing live ammunition at crowds, and attacking the focal points of the demonstrations. The two-day assault resulted in the deaths of fifteen protestors -
Rolloing out of Syrian Army
In April 2011, the Syrian Army was deployed to quell the uprising, and soldiers fired on demonstrators across the country.
After months of military sieges, the protests evolved into an armed rebellion. Opposition forces, mainly composed of defected soldiers and civilian volunteers, became increasingly armed and organized as they unified into larger groups. -
Urban Warfare begins
In mid-2012 full-scaled urban battle began in Damascus, followed by the even more deadly battle of Aleppo. -
Geneva Conventions of war applied to Syria
On 15 July 2012, the International Committee of the Red Cross assessed the Syrian conflict as a "non-international armed conflict", thus applying international humanitarian law under the Geneva Conventions to Syria. -
Fighting continues
Late 2012 marked growing influence of the Islamist group Jabhat al-Nusra within the opposition forces, while Hezbollah entered the war in support of the Syrian army. The regime is further upheld by support from Russia and Iran. -
Stalemate between rebels and government
The war degenerated into a stalemate in early 2013, with both sides making limited advances in different places. -
Suspension from the Arab Leauge
The Arab League suspended Syria's membership because of the government's response to the crisis, but granted the Syrian National Coalition Syria's seat on 6 March 2013.