Timeline of the Syrian civil war

This is a broad timeline of the course of major events of the Syrian civil war. It only includes major territorial changes and attacks and does not include every event.

The uprising against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad gradually turned into a full-scale civil war,^[1] with two significant milestones being the initial March 2011 Arab Spring protests and the 15 July 2012 declaration by the International Committee of the Red Cross that the fighting had gradually become so widespread that the situation should be regarded as a civil war.^[2]

In October 2019, Kurdish leaders of Rojava, a region within Syria, announced they had reached a major deal with the government of Syria under Assad. This deal was enacted in the wake of the US withdrawal from Syria. The Kurdish leaders made this deal in order to obtain Syria's help in stopping hostile Turkish forces who were invading Syria and attacking Kurds.^[3]^[4]^[5]

As of 2023, the civil war had largely subsided, mainly achieving a stalemate. One source stated:

The war whose brutality once dominated headlines has settled into an uncomfortable stalemate. Hopes for regime change have largely died out, peace talks have been fruitless, and some regional governments are reconsidering their opposition to engaging with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. The government has regained control of most of the country, and Assad's hold on power seems secure. Meanwhile, the Syrian people are suffering an economic crisis, and a massive earthquake at the start of 2023 cast much of the population in the north into further despair.^[6]

^ "Syria profile – Timeline". BBC News. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
^ "Syria's civil war: key facts, important players – CBCNews.ca". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
^ Syria’s Kurds forge ‘costly deal’ with al-Assad as US pulls out: Damascus has much to gain from deal with Kurds, but its ability to halt Turkey’s push depends on Russia, say analysts. By Arwa Ibrahim, Published On 15 Oct 2019 on website of Al-Jazeera.
^ : Kurdish forces backed by US strike deal with Syria’s Assad, in major shift in 8-year war, By Helen Regan and Eliza Mackintosh, CNN, Mon October 14, 2019.
^ Turkey-Syria offensive: Kurds reach deal with Damascus to stave off assault. Agreement to hand over border towns comes after more than 700 Isis affiliates escape camp. Bethan McKernan in Akçakale Mon 14 Oct 2019 website of The Guardian.
^ The civil uprising against the longtime rule of the Assads deteriorated into protracted civil war. Here’s a look at the elements that have deepened Syria’s tragedy. By Zachary Laub, February 14, 2023.

[bbc_timeline-1] "Syria profile – Timeline". BBC News. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2016.

[2] "Syria's civil war: key facts, important players – CBCNews.ca". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 15 July 2017.

[ReferenceE-3] Syria’s Kurds forge ‘costly deal’ with al-Assad as US pulls out: Damascus has much to gain from deal with Kurds, but its ability to halt Turkey’s push depends on Russia, say analysts. By Arwa Ibrahim, Published On 15 Oct 2019 on website of Al-Jazeera.

[4] : Kurdish forces backed by US strike deal with Syria’s Assad, in major shift in 8-year war, By Helen Regan and Eliza Mackintosh, CNN, Mon October 14, 2019.

[5] Turkey-Syria offensive: Kurds reach deal with Damascus to stave off assault. Agreement to hand over border towns comes after more than 700 Isis affiliates escape camp. Bethan McKernan in Akçakale Mon 14 Oct 2019 website of The Guardian.

[cfr_2023-6] The civil uprising against the longtime rule of the Assads deteriorated into protracted civil war. Here’s a look at the elements that have deepened Syria’s tragedy. By Zachary Laub, February 14, 2023.

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