Conflict Timeline: 2011
A school covered with anti-regime slogans. Shaam News Network
March 2011
March 6, 2011 In the rural city of Daraa, nearly a dozen boys under the age of 15 are arrested for anti-government graffiti. The boys were beaten and tortured in prison.
March 16, 2011 A female-led sit-in in Damascus demanded the release of prisoners unfairly jailed.
March 18, 2011 In Daraa, a protest was organized against the arrests of the children. Security forces opened fire, killing at least four protesters. More >>
March 23, 2011 15 anti-government protesters killed in Daraa. More>>
April 2011
April 1, 2011 Protests continue across Syria. More>>
April 3, 2011 President Bashar al-Assad dismisses his cabinet to appease calls for change. Al-Assad appoints a new prime minister, Adel Safar. More>>
April 6, 2011 Al-Assad grants citizenship to stateless Kurds residing in Syria. More>>
April 11, 2011 Human rights group, Insan, says at least 117 activists, intellectuals, and anti-government supporters were arrested. More>>
April 16, 2011 Al-Assad briefs his new cabinet in a televised speech. He vows to give greater political and social rights and among his priorities are lifting the state of emergency law. More>> Video>>
April 21, 2011 Al-Assad ends Syria's 48-year state of emergency. He also issues decrees to abolish the Supreme State Security Court and regulate the right to peaceful demonstrations. More>>
April 22, 2011 "The Great Friday" protests. In an invitation to Christians to join the peaceful movement, activists called for "Great Friday" protests on Good Friday. Over 100 people were killed across Syria, making it the bloodiest day so far in the uprising. More>>
April 25, 2011 Government launches bloody crackdown, sending thousands of troops to Daraa. They raided the city just after 4 am and began shooting indiscriminately. The United States prepares sanctions against the regime. More>>
April 29, 2011 United States imposes sanctions on top Syrian officials. More>>
May 2011
May 10, 2011 European Union imposes sanctions on 13 of Syria's top officials for 'violence against demonstrators.' More>>
May 20, 2011 Protests continue. At least 34 killed amid clashes between security forces and protesters. More>>
May 24, 2011 The civilian death toll reaches over 1,100, according to Syrian human rights groups.
May 28, 2011 Hamza Al Khatib, 13, is returned to his family as a mutilated corpse. His body bore the signs of torture. He, along with other children and adults were arrested weeks earlier.
June 2011
June 2, 2011 "Conference for Change in Syria" Hundreds of Syrian activists held a meeting in Turkey. They issue a declaration calling on al-Assad to step down. More>>
June 3, 2011 "Friday of the Children" protests. The largest protest outside Daraa takes place in Hama with about 50,000 protesters. The Syrian government disconnects access to the Internet and reduces Syria's online activities by nearly two-thirds (Source: Syria Deeply).
June 5, 2011 Israeli security forces kill 13 Syrian protesters in Golan Heights. More>>
June 10, 2011 Syrian Regime forces began a military operation in Maarat Al-Nunam and Jisr ash-Shugur by deploying troops, tanks, artillery and helicopters. Syrians began to flee the Idlib Governaorate after 23 civilians were killed by shellings from the Syrian regime forces. Aleppo, Latakia and Damscus also rose in protest as 50 students were reportedly detained More>>
June 17, 2011 This was the largest day of protest to date. Tens of thousands protested in Daraa, Deir al-Zor, Homs, Kiswa and Hama. Protests led to the arrests of 2,000 and 130 civilians killed. More>>
June 20, 2011 Assad went on Syrian TV and claimed that "vandals" and "radicals" for the unrest in Syria and that his regime was committed to "reform." This announcement led to further protests in the major cities. More>>
June 24, 2011 Protesters in central Damascus were shot outside a local mosque, killing 6 More>>
July, 2011
July 3, 2011 After massive protests in Hama on July 1st, Assad deployed troops to the area. They opened gunfire on protestors and made mass arrests. More>>
July 6, 2011 Amnesty International releases and report of the Syrian Regimes killings in Tell Kalakh and calls for a UN intervention More>>
July 8, 2011 The Syrian Regime opens up for a national dialogue, which is boycotted by the opposition groups. More>>
July 29, 2011 A colonel in the Syrian Army claimed he had defected to the opposition along with "hundreds" of other military personnel in the city of Deir ez-Zor, and called his group the Free Syrian Army. More>>
August 2011
August 15, 2011 As protests continue, and the Regimes violent crack down on civilians escalate, the Turkish Foreign Minister calls for an end or he would take steps to end them. Other countries call for sanctions to punish the Assad Regime for their actions against civilians More>>
August 18, 2011 The international community calls for the Assad regime to step down as Assad continued a siege on Latakia. More>>
August 22,2011 The United Nations votes to investigate crime against humanity in Syria as the Assad Regime continues to kill protesters and civilians. The death toll had now reached 2,200 people. More>>
September 2011
September 1, 2011 The attorney general of Hama resigned as troops conducted house to house searches in the area More>>
September 6, 2011 Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations made strong remarks against Assad's crackdown that continued across the country. More>>
September 9, 2011 Protesters called for a day of "Friday of International Protection" to stop Assad's continued crack down and killing of protesters News also broke that troops who refused to target activist were executed by the Syrian Regime. More>>
September 23, 2011 Protesters took to the streets for a "Friday of Unification Against the Regime" in Hama, Homs, Damscus, Aleppor and Daraa with a total of 50,000 in attendance in the midst of a 6 month crack down More>>
September 29, 2011 The FSA attacked a military base near Damascus in a high profile assault, destroyed 17 loyalist tanks More>>
October 2011
October 2, 2011 The Syrian National Council was officially formed and reached a general consensus on structure More>>
October 14,2011 The UN announces that an estimated 3,000 people has been killed in the Syrian conflict thus far and called for the international community to take immediate action More>>
October 2, 2011 The Syrian National Council was officially formed and reached a general consensus on structure More>>
October 14,2011 The UN announces that an estimated 3,000 people has been killed in the Syrian conflict thus far and called for the international community to take immediate action More>>
October 28, 2011 Protesters called for a no-fly zone be implemented in Hama More>>
November 2011
November 2, 2011 Arab League announced attempt to end crackdown peacefully, but the Syrian Regime does not adhere to the approved plan More>>
November 7, 2011 Opposition forces call for the international community to intervene in Homs, one of the central cities of the uprising. More>>
November 12,2011 Arab League announces it would suspend Syria over the continued violent crack down and human right violations by the Syrian Regime. More>>
November 22, 2011 Britain, France and Germany asked the UN to pass a resolution condemning Assad's crack down on protesters More>>
November 26,2011 The FSA ambushed the Syrian army in Idlib More>>
December 2011
December 1, 2011 The UN announces that the death toll in Syria has reached 4,000 casualties and that the conflict has now escalated to a civil war More>>
December 2, 2011 Protesters call for Turkey to create a buffer zone to protect civilians More>>
December 7,2011 Assad interviews for ABC News and claims no responsibility for the crackdown. More>>
December12, 2011 The UN announces that more than 5,000 people had been killed in Syria to this point since the crack down began More>>
December 21,2011 Syrian Security forces were accused of massacring the entire Kfar Owaid villiage outside the turkish boarder with rockets, tanks and guns More>>
December 29, 2011 Protesters demanded the removal of Mustafa Dabi as leader of the Arab League monitoring team as observers visited Hama, where six more people were killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Al Jazeera reported that an anonymous official with the observing mission in Syria had said monitors had witnessed shelling in Homs and it was apparent some parts of the city were controlled by the Free Syrian Army. The official, whose report directly contradicted Dabi's account of the situation, predicted the mission was doomed to fail. More>>
March 6, 2011 In the rural city of Daraa, nearly a dozen boys under the age of 15 are arrested for anti-government graffiti. The boys were beaten and tortured in prison.
March 16, 2011 A female-led sit-in in Damascus demanded the release of prisoners unfairly jailed.
March 18, 2011 In Daraa, a protest was organized against the arrests of the children. Security forces opened fire, killing at least four protesters. More >>
March 23, 2011 15 anti-government protesters killed in Daraa. More>>
April 2011
April 1, 2011 Protests continue across Syria. More>>
April 3, 2011 President Bashar al-Assad dismisses his cabinet to appease calls for change. Al-Assad appoints a new prime minister, Adel Safar. More>>
April 6, 2011 Al-Assad grants citizenship to stateless Kurds residing in Syria. More>>
April 11, 2011 Human rights group, Insan, says at least 117 activists, intellectuals, and anti-government supporters were arrested. More>>
April 16, 2011 Al-Assad briefs his new cabinet in a televised speech. He vows to give greater political and social rights and among his priorities are lifting the state of emergency law. More>> Video>>
April 21, 2011 Al-Assad ends Syria's 48-year state of emergency. He also issues decrees to abolish the Supreme State Security Court and regulate the right to peaceful demonstrations. More>>
April 22, 2011 "The Great Friday" protests. In an invitation to Christians to join the peaceful movement, activists called for "Great Friday" protests on Good Friday. Over 100 people were killed across Syria, making it the bloodiest day so far in the uprising. More>>
April 25, 2011 Government launches bloody crackdown, sending thousands of troops to Daraa. They raided the city just after 4 am and began shooting indiscriminately. The United States prepares sanctions against the regime. More>>
April 29, 2011 United States imposes sanctions on top Syrian officials. More>>
May 2011
May 10, 2011 European Union imposes sanctions on 13 of Syria's top officials for 'violence against demonstrators.' More>>
May 20, 2011 Protests continue. At least 34 killed amid clashes between security forces and protesters. More>>
May 24, 2011 The civilian death toll reaches over 1,100, according to Syrian human rights groups.
May 28, 2011 Hamza Al Khatib, 13, is returned to his family as a mutilated corpse. His body bore the signs of torture. He, along with other children and adults were arrested weeks earlier.
June 2011
June 2, 2011 "Conference for Change in Syria" Hundreds of Syrian activists held a meeting in Turkey. They issue a declaration calling on al-Assad to step down. More>>
June 3, 2011 "Friday of the Children" protests. The largest protest outside Daraa takes place in Hama with about 50,000 protesters. The Syrian government disconnects access to the Internet and reduces Syria's online activities by nearly two-thirds (Source: Syria Deeply).
June 5, 2011 Israeli security forces kill 13 Syrian protesters in Golan Heights. More>>
June 10, 2011 Syrian Regime forces began a military operation in Maarat Al-Nunam and Jisr ash-Shugur by deploying troops, tanks, artillery and helicopters. Syrians began to flee the Idlib Governaorate after 23 civilians were killed by shellings from the Syrian regime forces. Aleppo, Latakia and Damscus also rose in protest as 50 students were reportedly detained More>>
June 17, 2011 This was the largest day of protest to date. Tens of thousands protested in Daraa, Deir al-Zor, Homs, Kiswa and Hama. Protests led to the arrests of 2,000 and 130 civilians killed. More>>
June 20, 2011 Assad went on Syrian TV and claimed that "vandals" and "radicals" for the unrest in Syria and that his regime was committed to "reform." This announcement led to further protests in the major cities. More>>
June 24, 2011 Protesters in central Damascus were shot outside a local mosque, killing 6 More>>
July, 2011
July 3, 2011 After massive protests in Hama on July 1st, Assad deployed troops to the area. They opened gunfire on protestors and made mass arrests. More>>
July 6, 2011 Amnesty International releases and report of the Syrian Regimes killings in Tell Kalakh and calls for a UN intervention More>>
July 8, 2011 The Syrian Regime opens up for a national dialogue, which is boycotted by the opposition groups. More>>
July 29, 2011 A colonel in the Syrian Army claimed he had defected to the opposition along with "hundreds" of other military personnel in the city of Deir ez-Zor, and called his group the Free Syrian Army. More>>
August 2011
August 15, 2011 As protests continue, and the Regimes violent crack down on civilians escalate, the Turkish Foreign Minister calls for an end or he would take steps to end them. Other countries call for sanctions to punish the Assad Regime for their actions against civilians More>>
August 18, 2011 The international community calls for the Assad regime to step down as Assad continued a siege on Latakia. More>>
August 22,2011 The United Nations votes to investigate crime against humanity in Syria as the Assad Regime continues to kill protesters and civilians. The death toll had now reached 2,200 people. More>>
September 2011
September 1, 2011 The attorney general of Hama resigned as troops conducted house to house searches in the area More>>
September 6, 2011 Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations made strong remarks against Assad's crackdown that continued across the country. More>>
September 9, 2011 Protesters called for a day of "Friday of International Protection" to stop Assad's continued crack down and killing of protesters News also broke that troops who refused to target activist were executed by the Syrian Regime. More>>
September 23, 2011 Protesters took to the streets for a "Friday of Unification Against the Regime" in Hama, Homs, Damscus, Aleppor and Daraa with a total of 50,000 in attendance in the midst of a 6 month crack down More>>
September 29, 2011 The FSA attacked a military base near Damascus in a high profile assault, destroyed 17 loyalist tanks More>>
October 2011
October 2, 2011 The Syrian National Council was officially formed and reached a general consensus on structure More>>
October 14,2011 The UN announces that an estimated 3,000 people has been killed in the Syrian conflict thus far and called for the international community to take immediate action More>>
October 2, 2011 The Syrian National Council was officially formed and reached a general consensus on structure More>>
October 14,2011 The UN announces that an estimated 3,000 people has been killed in the Syrian conflict thus far and called for the international community to take immediate action More>>
October 28, 2011 Protesters called for a no-fly zone be implemented in Hama More>>
November 2011
November 2, 2011 Arab League announced attempt to end crackdown peacefully, but the Syrian Regime does not adhere to the approved plan More>>
November 7, 2011 Opposition forces call for the international community to intervene in Homs, one of the central cities of the uprising. More>>
November 12,2011 Arab League announces it would suspend Syria over the continued violent crack down and human right violations by the Syrian Regime. More>>
November 22, 2011 Britain, France and Germany asked the UN to pass a resolution condemning Assad's crack down on protesters More>>
November 26,2011 The FSA ambushed the Syrian army in Idlib More>>
December 2011
December 1, 2011 The UN announces that the death toll in Syria has reached 4,000 casualties and that the conflict has now escalated to a civil war More>>
December 2, 2011 Protesters call for Turkey to create a buffer zone to protect civilians More>>
December 7,2011 Assad interviews for ABC News and claims no responsibility for the crackdown. More>>
December12, 2011 The UN announces that more than 5,000 people had been killed in Syria to this point since the crack down began More>>
December 21,2011 Syrian Security forces were accused of massacring the entire Kfar Owaid villiage outside the turkish boarder with rockets, tanks and guns More>>
December 29, 2011 Protesters demanded the removal of Mustafa Dabi as leader of the Arab League monitoring team as observers visited Hama, where six more people were killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Al Jazeera reported that an anonymous official with the observing mission in Syria had said monitors had witnessed shelling in Homs and it was apparent some parts of the city were controlled by the Free Syrian Army. The official, whose report directly contradicted Dabi's account of the situation, predicted the mission was doomed to fail. More>>