There has been unrest in Syria since March 2011. In the beginning there were (peaceful) demonstrations, now there is a civil war. How did it come to this? Here are the major events in Syria at a glance.
Arabic spring
The Arab Spring started in Tunisia in December 2010. From Tunisia, the uprisings spread like a wave across the rest of the Arab world. The countries were often ruled by a strong leader who oppressed or kept tight control over the population. This is the reason for the revolution: the people revolt against their (corrupt) leader, against the fact that elections are influenced and the population has no influence on politics. The uprisings in Syria started on March 15, 2011.
Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the president of Syria. Officially there are elections for a president in Syria, but Assad succeeded his father, who had been president of Syria for 29 years before him. After the death of his father in 2000, Assad became president. He was re-elected in 2007. Both times there were elections, but Assad had no opponent. Opposition parties are banned in Syria. Until February 2011, Facebook and Twitter were banned.
Uprisings
The uprisings in Syria started on March 15, 2011. It started with a demonstration of about 40 people against Assad. The demonstration took place in Syria’s capital Damascus. At first the demonstrators were left alone by the security service. Assad wasn’t too concerned; he said that Syria is much more stable and had a much better economy than the other countries where there were major uprisings. He thought the insurgents had no chance. The uprising turned violent when Assad supporters began fighting with protesters. Two days later there was another demonstration in Damascus. This time 150 people participated. This time the police took action and arrested 35 people. The demonstrations are now also spreading to other cities, especially to Daraa, a city 100 km from Damascus. Six people were killed during a demonstration on March 22. At the funeral of the dead there are protests again, this time 20,000 people participated. The government now says it may want to implement reforms to prevent further protests. At the same time, during new demonstrations, the army takes stronger action and shoots people dead. On March 25, the government released 200 prisoners to keep the demonstrators calm. This doesn’t help; a day later, demonstrators set fire to a police station and a government office. The violence is intensifying and demonstrations are now taking place in 8 cities.
Conspiracy
On March 28, 2011, it is announced that Assad will give an important speech. In response to this, Assad supporters also started holding demonstrations: 10,000 people took to the streets in support of him. In his speech, Assad promised reforms, but did not say what he would change. He further said that the demonstrations were a plot by people who wanted to destroy Syria. He denied ordering police to use force.
More deaths
The uprisings continued in April 2011. More and more people are dying during protests. On the other hand, Assad continues to try to calm the demonstrators by releasing demonstrators who were previously arrested. The protests have now been going on for a month. On April 21, Assad lifted the state of emergency. The state of emergency had prevailed since 1963, and meant that opposition parties were banned. This rule was introduced by Assad’s father after he came to power. He lifts the emergency uprising to put an end to the protests, but this does not help. Demonstrations continue and become increasingly bloody. At the end of April there are also protests from Assad’s party itself. 200 party members canceled their membership. The army is also becoming divided. During a demonstration, some want to shoot at the citizens, while others want to protect them. The army starts fighting among themselves. The demonstrations continue to increase over the next four months and the army continues to take increasingly harsh action. At the end of August 2011, the EU and the US demanded that Assad step down. Assad does not want to resign, but promises not to use the army again. Within two days he is already breaking his promise. Assad says he is still in control of the situation. In November, the Arab League also turned against Assad and told him to resign. Assad refuses this. Syria is then suspended by the Arab League.
Human rights
At the end of November there are signals that children are being tortured. The army picks up boys and tortures and mutilates them. People who have been arrested also disappear without having been given a trial. On December 1, the UN reported that 4,000 people had been killed since the uprisings began. Deaths continue to occur. Syria now allows international observers, but they are only allowed to walk with their supervisors and are not allowed to look at places themselves. The observers leave again on January 28, 2012, because the violence continues and they are not safe.
War
A group has now formed that calls itself the Free Syrian Army. This group consists of insurgents and deserters from Assad’s regime. The group carries out several attacks, such as in Aleppo on February 10, 2012, and fights in Homs.
The fighting continues. There are also more and more images of torture and deaths. On March 27, 2012, Assad agreed to the peace plan of the EU and the Arab League. Three days later, the Free Syrian Army announces it will stop violence if Assad’s army withdraws its tanks. A solution seems closer. On April 11 it appears that the army is not adhering to the peace plan: they are not withdrawing from occupied cities. The ceasefire goes well for one day, but on March 14 the army bombs the city of Homs. Fighting will continue throughout the summer and autumn, and EU countries will impose increasingly strict sanctions on Syria. On November 30, 2012, the government shut down the internet, so that Syrians can no longer communicate with the rest of the world. Half a million Syrians have already fled to neighboring countries such as Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and countries in North Africa.
2013
On January 6, 2013, Assad gives another speech. He still maintains that the rebel armies consist of foreigners who want to destroy Syria. The fighting continues. Young people from the Netherlands are now also going to Syria to fight against Assad. They join radical Muslim groups. On February 19, 2013, the army launched a rocket attack against Aleppo, which resulted in a massacre. On the same day, grenades were also thrown at Assad’s palace. Only the wall of the palace was damaged. Two more grenades exploded in a football stadium in Damascus on February 20. A football player died.