1970·SEIZURE OF POWER
SEIZURE OF POWER
Hafez al-Assad Takes Power
Hafez al-Assad seizes power in Syria through a military coup, establishing a decades-long dictatorship.
TIMELINE
Syria — A Chronicle
From the first protests in 2011 to today's reconstruction — a documented history of the Syrian revolution and its consequences.
Background
Background
2000·DYNASTIC TRANSITION
DYNASTIC TRANSITION
Bashar al-Assad Becomes President
After the death of his father Hafez, Bashar al-Assad assumes power. Early hopes for reform are quickly dashed.
2000–2010·OPPRESSION
OPPRESSION
Growing Discontent
Authoritarian rule, widespread corruption, high unemployment, and the complete absence of political freedoms generate deep social discontent over a decade.
2011
2011
March 2011·THE SPARK
THE SPARK
The Uprising Begins in Daraa
Young people write anti-regime graffiti — their arrest and torture trigger the first mass protests against the Assad regime. Syria awakens.
2011·REVOLUTION
REVOLUTION
The Revolution Spreads
Protests engulf the entire country. In response to the regime's violent crackdown, the Free Syrian Army is formed.
2012
2012
2012·TERROR & DESTRUCTION
TERROR & DESTRUCTION
Annihilation and Saydnaya
This is not a civil war — it is the systematic extermination of the population by the regime. Mass arrests, Saydnaya prison as a symbol of terror, entire cities bombed and razed to the ground.
2013
2013
August 2013·WAR CRIME
WAR CRIME
Chemical Attack on Ghouta
A devastating chemical weapons attack near Damascus kills hundreds and triggers worldwide outrage. The international community condemns the regime — without decisively intervening.
2014
2014
2014·NEW CHAOS
NEW CHAOS
Rise of the Islamic State
The so-called Islamic State (ISIS) seizes vast territories in Syria and Iraq. The suffering of civilians deepens as an international military coalition intervenes.
2015
2015
September 2015·MILITARY INTERVENTION
MILITARY INTERVENTION
Russia Intervenes
Russia begins massive airstrikes supporting the regime. The balance of power fundamentally shifts in Assad's favor.
2016
2016
December 2016·HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE
HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE
Recapture of Aleppo
Government forces and their allies recapture what was once Syria's second-largest city. The old town lies in ruins. Hundreds of thousands flee.
2019
2019
March 2019·TURNING POINT
TURNING POINT
Defeat of ISIS
ISIS loses its last territory — the so-called caliphate is officially declared defeated. But the scars of terror remain.
2023
2023
February 2023·FURTHER CATASTROPHE
FURTHER CATASTROPHE
Earthquake Worsens the Crisis
A severe earthquake strikes the already devastated regions of Syria and Turkey. Millions of people need aid. The humanitarian crisis reaches a new dimension.
Dec. 8, 2024
Dec. 8, 2024
December 8, 2024·HISTORIC TURNING POINT
HISTORIC TURNING POINT
Fall of the Assad Regime
Following a rapid offensive by opposition groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Bashar al-Assad's regime collapses. Assad flees to Russia. Over 50 years of dictatorship come to an end.
January 2025
January 2025
January 2025·NEW BEGINNING
NEW BEGINNING
Ahmed al-Sharaa – Transitional President
Ahmed al-Sharaa is officially appointed Syria's transitional president. The Assad family's rule of over 50 years is history. Syria enters a new, but fragile transitional phase.
2025 – Present
2025 – Present
2025 – 2026·RECONSTRUCTION
RECONSTRUCTION
Syria Today
Syria remains politically divided and militarily unstable. Yet hundreds of thousands are returning home. The hope for peace, stability, and reconstruction is real — and it needs us.
"This chronicle is not an ending — it is a call. Syria has fought, suffered, and survived. For the first time in decades, there is a real chance at reconstruction. That chance belongs to those who act."