Chronicle of the civil war in Syria 2011

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Status of the conflict in December 2011
  • Cities held by the Syrian security forces
  • Cities conquered by rebels
  • Contested cities or unclear situation
    • Flag of the Syrian Republic used by the opposition (1930–1963)

    The 2011 Chronicle of the Syrian Civil War records the events of the 2011 Syrian civil war .

    January February

    In light of developments in Tunisia and Egypt , Syrian President Bashar al-Assad gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal on January 31, 2011 , in which he addressed the need for reform. However, the protests are unlikely to spread to Syria as the situation in Syria is different.

    On February 4th and 5th, opposition officials called for protests on a "day of anger". However, there was largely no response and there were no major public protests. According to reports from the opposition, the Syrian authorities arrested numerous political opponents. Among them was the leader of the Islamic democratic movement Ghassan al-Najar.

    On February 15th, some schoolchildren sprayed two graffiti on a wall in their school yard in Dar , ā , which translated into German meant “It's your turn, doctor!” And “Down with you Assad!”. The term doctor meant Assad, who had worked as an ophthalmologist before his presidency. After the headmaster informed the police the next day, some children were interrogated to find out the names of the authors of the graffiti, who were then arrested and tortured. This led to protests from concerned parents in Daraa.

    March

    In mid-March there were several small protests in Damascus and in the city ​​of Qamishli, which is mainly inhabited by Kurds . Among other things, it called for the release of politically imprisoned people, greater freedom and the start of reforms. The demonstrations were violently broken up by security forces and several people were arrested. Followers of the Ba'ath government then demonstrated .

    On March 17, serious clashes broke out in the southern Syrian city of Darʿā , in which at least five people were killed. Especially Rami Makhlouf , cousin of President Bashar al-Assad and symbol of corruption in Syria, was the focus of criticism. During the protests, the al-Omari mosque was used as an organizational base for demonstrations.

    On March 19, demonstrators who had previously been killed were buried in strong demonstrations. According to information from the opposition, more than 10,000 people chanted anti-government slogans. The demonstration was broken up by police forces. In the following days, despite the massive police presence, there were repeated demonstrations in Darʿā, which were violently suppressed by the police. People were repeatedly killed. On March 20, protesters set fire to public buildings and branches of the mobile operator SyriaTel , which is owned by Rami Machluf. The previous governor of Darʿā was dismissed. An internal investigation has been opened against the head of the Political Security Department in Darʿā, Colonel Atef Najib , a cousin of Bashar's Machluf family.

    On March 22, 2011, over 1000 demonstrators gathered and formed a human chain to protect the al-Omari mosque. The following morning, security forces stormed the mosque , using tear gas and snipers . According to a hospital representative, at least 37 people were killed and all of them had gunshot wounds. The government spoke of a maximum of 10 deaths and an operation against an “armed gang” who had previously shot at an ambulance and killed its crew, and showed pictures of weapons found on state television. The opposition and human rights activists spoke of at least 80 dead and published a video showing demonstrators being attacked with tear gas and gunshots being heard.

    In a televised address on March 25, Bashar al-Assad announced that all protesters arrested in recent days will be released.

    In Darʿā, a statue of the former President Hafiz al-Assad was destroyed and slogans were shouted against the head of the Presidential Guard , Maher al-Assad . At least 20 people are said to have been killed.

    On March 26, the Syrian government announced the repeal of the emergency law, which has been in force since 1963. Up to seven people were killed in protest rallies in Latakia . In Darʿā, too, there were repeated shots at demonstrators. Slogans were shouted against the state of emergency.

    Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Utri resigned along with his cabinet on March 29 .

    April

    Peaceful demonstration for Assad in Duma on April 8, 2011

    There were repeated large protests with several thousand participants, including in Darʿā, Duma , Harasta , Qamishli, Hasakhe , Idlib , Baniyas , Hama and Homs. In contrast, Syrian state television only reported several smaller demonstrations. The main focus of the protests was the Friday prayers and, with the increasing number of fatalities, the funerals of demonstrators. People arrested during the protests said they had been beaten, humiliated and labeled as traitors by security forces.

    With the resignation of the previous head of government, Assad asked Adel Safar to form a new government on April 3.

    Following popular demonstrations, the government promised the Kurds in northern Syria that they would grant citizenship to all Syrian Kurds.

    Demonstration for President Assad in April 2011

    In Darʿā on April 8, after Friday prayers, protests began from three mosques to a courthouse in the city. Tens of thousands of people took part in the demonstrations. They were attacked by security forces after demonstrators reportedly opened fire on the security forces. 19 state officials were shot dead. In Darʿā alone there were at least 23 deaths. Darʿā became the focus of protests for several weeks. In total, more than 100 people are said to have died in connection with the protests in Syria at this point in time.

    In the Baniyas area, electricity, telephone and internet access were reportedly cut off on April 10. In addition, tanks were deployed that surrounded a suburb two days later. In Latakia, too, protesters were shot at by security forces with live ammunition.

    On April 13, activists reported that there were demonstrations at the universities of Damascus and Aleppo . Two days later, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Damascus. Many of them no longer only demanded reforms, but also an end to the Assad government. Once again, security forces used force against the participants in the demonstration.

    After several announcements, Assad lifted the 48-year state of emergency on April 21, thereby fulfilling one of the main demands of the protest movement. The notorious state security courts should also be dissolved. The state of emergency was declared on March 8, 1963, when the Arab nationalist Ba'ath party came to power. He severely restricted relevant civil rights, enabled arbitrary arrests and politically motivated trials before state security courts, for which confessions extorted under torture were often used. Oppositionists considered this measure to be inadequate, as members of the state did not obey the law.

    Across the country on April 22, after Friday prayers, there were the largest demonstrations since the protests began. The calls for Assad's resignation grew louder. Between 75 and 100 people were killed, more than on any other day of the protests. The Syrian state news agency SANA spoke of 10 dead. There were fatalities in the cities of Damascus, Homs, Darʿā and Moadamia and Asraa, among others. In the period that followed, the city of Homs, with a population of 700,000, was cordoned off and cut off from food supplies.

    From April 24, several thousand security forces, supported by tanks, attacked Darʿā and carried out raids. The city was cut off from the outside world. A spokesman for the Syrian Army said citizens of the city had called on the army to intervene to put an end to attacks by extremist terrorist groups. Several people also died in other cities in the country. When government troops gathered in front of the city of Nawa , armed resistance formed. The Damascus suburb of Duma was also cordoned off by army tanks and 2000 security forces.

    In protest at the military action, 200 members from the Darʿā area and 28 from Banias resigned from the ruling Ba'ath party. More resignations followed in the next few days.

    The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva condemned the brutal violence against demonstrators and launched an investigation into the deaths and other crimes. US President Barack Obama implemented sanctions against members of the Syrian government. For the first time, representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood from exile, relentlessly persecuted by Assad, also called for participation in the demonstrations.

    Around 500 demonstrators had been killed by the end of April.

    May

    2.May

    In the city of Darʿā, security forces arrested 499 people and claimed to have killed ten people. The security forces went from house to house; those arrested were males aged 15 and over and were led away blindfolded. According to the state news agency, army units sought terrorist groups, while a lawyer from Darʿā said the security forces acted in revenge.

    Another demonstration by women in support of Darʿā took place in Damascus, which was again violently broken up. A demonstration in the Damascus suburb of Harasta was also violently broken up. Near Qamishli, 2,000 people attended a funeral service for a conscript soldier who, according to his father, had been killed by security forces.

    3rd / 4th May

    Demonstrations took place in many cities, including Damascus on May 3rd and Homs and Aleppo on the night of May 4th. After the demonstration in Homs with 1,000 participants in support of the city of Darʿā, according to statements by activists, tanks were on their way into the city.

    In response to ongoing protests, large numbers of arrests were made across Syria on May 4. 2,843 people have been confirmed, while activists believe up to 8,000 people have been arrested and speak of cases of abuse.

    Darʿā continued to be sealed off by security forces, so food and medicine became scarce. Communication was still interrupted, only electricity is available again. On May 4, shots were heard in Darʿā and there were arrests. As early as May 3, a spokesman for the US State Department described the situation in Darʿā as barbaric and as a collective punishment of innocent civilians.

    7th / 8th May

    Human rights activists reported that tanks were entering the coastal town of Banias and the industrial town of Homs in the center of the country. Three protesters in Banias were shot dead. At the same time, hundreds of people were arrested in raids, including several leaders of the protest movement against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

    May 9

    When the army was deployed in the Damascus suburb of Muadhamiya, three were killed, many were injured and 200 were arrested. The use of the security forces in the city of Homs continued.

    10th of May

    Syria's third largest city, Homs, and the city of Banias were cut off from electricity, telecommunications and water supplies, and arrests took place in large numbers. Gunfire could be heard in Homs. More than 250 people were arrested in Banias.

    While the Syrian government continued to claim action against armed terrorists, a humanitarian mission supported by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was banned from entering the city of Darʿā on May 8. Darʿā had been cordoned off by security forces for two weeks.

    May 13th, Day for the Freedom of Imprisoned Women

    Despite government orders to security forces not to shoot protesters, three people were killed in demonstrations in the city of Homs. Demonstrations also took place in the cities of Aleppo, Hama, Darʿā, Latakia, a Damascus suburb, and some places in the mainly Kurdish areas of northern Syria. A Facebook group sloganed the demonstrations to support women in prison. Among other things, three women were shot dead during protests on May 7th.

    May 14th

    Four people died in Talkalakh, Homs Province, when a group of people was attacked by army units. People tried to reach the border with Lebanon. At least 19 people were wounded. Eyewitnesses reported heavy gunfire in the place.

    In the city of Homs, 8,000 people attended a funeral service for a dead person from the demonstrations the day before. They marched through the city calling for an end to the sieges of Homs, Banias and Darʿā.

    According to the Syrian Minister of Information, there was a national dialogue and political, economic and social reforms should be carried out. However, there were voices who were skeptical about dialogues of this kind, for example as long as the influence of the secret service was not broken. According to the minister, the siege of Banias will end while the siege of Darʿā has already been lifted. In the case of Darʿā, however, residents report that tanks were in front of mosques that morning.

    17th of May

    According to their own account, residents discovered a grave with 13 bodies in Darʿā. The Syrian Interior Ministry has denied the existence of this grave in a report by the state news agency. An independent review was not possible because the area around Darʿā was cordoned off. Residents of Darʿā report hundreds of people missing since the army was deployed in Darʿā.

    There were protests in Darʿā and other cities. In Aleppo, security forces violently broke up a student demonstration.

    Activists called on Facebook pages, including “The Syrian Revolution 2011”, for a general strike on May 18 to protest against the actions of the security forces.

    May 20, Azadi Friday

    Mass demonstrations took place in many cities in Syria. According to various reports, the demonstrations took place in the suburbs of Hama, in Homs, in Damascus, in the Damascus suburb of Berze, near Darʿā, in Banias, in Latakia, and in Amouda. At least 30 people died in the demonstrations.

    In Hama, security forces used tear gas against 20,000 demonstrators. 1000 people demonstrated in Berze and demanded the overthrow of the government. Security forces beat demonstrators, used tear gas and live ammunition. There were also arrests. The power supply was cut and security guards set up checkpoints around the city.

    6,000 people demonstrated in Amouda, a place in the Kurdish north-east of Syria. The motto for May 20th was “Azadi”, “Freedom” in Kurdish.

    May 24th

    Thirteen-year-old Hamza al-Khatib's mutilated body was given to his family. The boy disappeared during a demonstration near Darʿā on April 29 and was tortured and killed by security forces. He subsequently became a symbol of the Syrian uprising.

    28th of May

    Iranian special forces began to support the Syrian government in the fight against the insurgents. The techniques and tactics that the Iranian government used to crack down on the protests in Iran in 2009 have now also been used in Syria. Specially trained security guards monitored the social networks Twitter and Facebook, which presumably led to a wave of arrests of hundreds of Syrians in the past few weeks.

    May 29th

    With the support of tanks and helicopters, security forces attacked the cities of Rastan and Talbisa near Homs in order to counter the anti-government protests. At the beginning of the operation, water, electricity and telecommunications were cut. Shooting by security forces could be heard in the streets. According to activists, there were five fatalities and many injured.

    Demonstrations continued across the country, some of them at night. Security forces continued to arrest members of the opposition and activists.

    June

    June 1st

    The human rights organization Human Rights Watch published a 60-page document on human rights violations by Syrian security forces, citing systematic killing and torture in the city of Darʿā as an example. Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to be tried in a UN court.

    3rd / 4th June, Friday for the freedom of children

    On Friday June 3, 53 to over 100 people died during a demonstration in the central Syrian city of Hama when security forces fired at the demonstrators. 50,000 people took part in the demonstration. On June 4, protesters clashed with security forces at the previous day's funeral.

    On Friday, security forces attacked demonstrators in Rastan city using heavy weapons. Snipers were posted on the roofs of houses and people are said to have been shot at random. There were demonstrations in many other cities in Syria, including Damascus and its suburbs, and Homs and Darʿā. Internet connections are said to have been interrupted in some parts of the country.

    The June 3 protests were dedicated by activists to children who had died during the protests, such as thirteen-year-old Hamza al-Khatib from the Darʿā area, who was tortured and killed by security forces. According to UNICEF, 30 children were among the total of at least 1,100 fatalities in the protests in Syria.

    6./7. June

    In the northern Syrian city of Jisr el-Shughur , 20 km from the Turkish border, 120 soldiers are said to have died on June 6. According to the Syrian state television, they were shot dead by armed groups when they took control of the city. In contrast, eyewitnesses said there were no armed groups in the city and that the soldiers might have been shot by security forces. After the Syrian interior minister announced a military operation against the allegedly existing armed groups in the city, residents fled the city, some of them to Turkey . Dozens of Syrians had to receive medical treatment in Turkey. On June 7th, security forces should be on their way into town.

    There were media reports on June 7 that the Syrian ambassador to Paris, Lamia Chakkour, resigned from her post. Other media reports contradicted this information.

    June 12

    After up to 30,000 soldiers had been gathered around Jisr al-Shughur in the previous days , the army carried out an offensive against insurgents. There were reports of many deaths.

    June 13th

    After the military operation in Jisr el-Shughur , the army took control of the city the day before. Syrian state television reported heavy fighting and justified the operation with 120 members of the security forces believed to have been killed in the city and continued to report a mass grave with members of the security forces. Residents report, however, that after refusal to order, fighting between units of the security forces should have broken out. A journalist from BBC Arabic who was with the army units reported damage to the city from fighting and burned grain fields in the area.

    There were hundreds of people on the Turkish border who had fled Jisr el-Shughur. 10,000 had already fled to Turkey. The US government described the refugees' situation as a humanitarian crisis and blamed the military operation for it.

    There were unconfirmed reports that soldiers had defected to the demonstrators, for example a unit of 50 men and one officer in Jisr al-Shughur.

    15th June

    According to activists, many people fled the northern Syrian city of Maarat al-Numan when the army announced an operation in the city. The army units were posted around the city, but according to the army they have not yet entered. The project was justified with a situation similar to that in Jisr al-Shughur in the days before. While an army spokesman said there were no divisions in the army, reports were released that soldiers deserted after being ordered to shoot civilians.

    In Damascus, with the support of the Syrian government, a demonstration took place in which thousands of participants unfurled a 2.3 km Syrian flag along a road. Photos of President Bashar al-Assad were also on display.

    17th of June

    On Friday there were demonstrations in Homs, the Damascus suburb of Harasta, Aleppo, Dael , Hama, Darʿā, Deir az-Zour , Jableh , Banias and other cities. At least 17 people were killed by security forces, including a 16-year-old. Activists from Banias and Latakia reported that security forces attempted to disperse the demonstrators with gunfire. Heavy machine gun fire has also been reported from Homs. In contrast, Syrian state television reported that one police officer was killed and a total of 26 injured and attacked by "armed groups".

    Large numbers of soldiers are said to have moved into the northern Syrian city of Maarat al-Numan after the city was besieged the day before.

    There was also a demonstration in a Turkish refugee camp on the Syrian border. The demonstration and hunger strikes in refugee camps were also aimed at getting the international community to act. Another 1200 refugees crossed the border into Turkey.

    20th June

    Syrian President Bashar al-Assad gave his third speech during the protests at Damascus University. He described the situation in the country as historically important, and announced dialogues about the future of the country and the possibility of constitutional reforms. However, he said that a political solution would not be possible as long as people used violence. He named a number of 64,000 "saboteurs" and "outlaws" who were part of the people taking part in the protests. He called on the people who fled Jisr el-Shughur to return to the city.

    Reactions to the speech, including from people in the refugee camps in Turkey, were negative. After the speech there were demonstrations in several cities in Syria and in the Turkish refugee camps.

    June 24th

    After the Friday prayers, there were again major demonstrations and clashes with security forces. At least 15 people died in the demonstrations across Syria that day, 14 of them in Homs . After the Syrian army took action against villages on the Turkish border where refugees were staying, 1,500 more people fled to Turkey. The number of refugees in Turkey on that day was given as 11,000.

    In a draft resolution, the European Union condemned the actions of the Syrian government against its own people. The draft said that the government was casting doubt on its legitimacy through its actions . A UN Security Council resolution was also called for.

    25th June

    On June 24th and 25th, more than 1,000 people fled the Syrian border area to Lebanon. Due to Syria's influence in Lebanon, however, the situation is worse for fleeing activists than in Turkey.

    In the Damascus suburb of Kiswah, 20,000 people attended a memorial service for a victim from the previous day. Security forces were present in large numbers there and in other cities.

    June 27th

    A meeting of 160 opposition activists took place in Damascus, the participants of whom spoke out in favor of democratization, an end to the violent actions of the security forces and the release of political prisoners. Activists who did not take part in the meeting criticized the fact that the organizers were not allowed to invite certain people and that the meeting could also be used by the government by distracting from the violence of the security forces. The meeting was authorized by the Syrian government.

    The state news agency announced a dialogue with opposition members for July 10th. Many opposition activists refuse to enter into dialogue with the government because of the violence perpetrated by the security forces.

    June 30th

    The Syrian army conducted operations in the north-west of the country on the Turkish border. According to activists, people were prevented from fleeing to Turkey and 19 people were killed in the Jabal az-Zawiya area on June 29 and 30.

    There was a demonstration in Aleppo; Government supporters and security forces used force against the demonstrators.

    July

    July 1

    On Friday, July 1st, demonstrations critical of the government took place in many cities. The largest demonstration took place in Hama with 400,000 participants (the city has 700,000 inhabitants). Activists spoke of 3 million participants nationwide, and there were 28 civilian deaths. There were further demonstrations in Aleppo and with tens of thousands of participants in Deir ez-Zor . The anti-government demonstrations were posted on Facebook under the motto “Go away!” As a call to President Bashar al-Assad.

    Pro-government demonstrations, reported on Syrian state television, also took place in some cities.

    2nd July

    One day after the big demonstration in Hama, the governor of Hama, Ahmad Khaled Abdel Aziz, was removed from his post. Syrian state television gave no reason for this. According to activists, some demonstrators expressed regret over the dismissal.

    In Homs, 7,000 people attended a funeral for five people killed in the protests the previous day.

    8th of July

    According to activists, over 500,000 people demonstrated against the government in Hama and spoke out against the announced national dialogue. The US Ambassador Robert Ford and the French Ambassador Eric Chevallier visited Hama on July 8th and expressed their solidarity with the city's residents. The US government rejected allegations by the Syrian government that Ford had entered the city without permission.

    There were other protests in Damascus and Homs, among others. A total of 13 fatalities in Syria were reported on July 8.

    10th of July

    The "National Dialogue" announced by the government on June 20 began in Damascus, but opposition members have rejected it. One of the participants, Syrian Vice President Faruq al-Shara, announced the introduction of a multi-party system in Syria. Oppositionists justified their rejection with the fact that security forces continue to use violence against demonstrators. According to the al-Jazeera correspondent, invitations to the two-day conference were only issued by the government.

    July 11th

    Supporters of the Syrian government attacked the US and French embassies in Damascus. Window panes were damaged and three people were injured.

    July 13th

    Thirty people were arrested at a demonstration in Damascus. Among those arrested were well-known artists such as actress May Skaf and directors Nabil Maleh and Mohammad Malas. The three artists had previously supported an appeal condemning state violence against demonstrators and calling for those involved in the deaths of civilians to be held accountable and political prisoners to be released.

    According to activists, seven people were killed in army operations in the Idlib area . It was assumed that the operations could aim to prevent people from fleeing to Turkey.

    15th of July

    On Friday, July 15, the largest demonstrations to date against the Syrian government took place. There were rallies in Damascus, Hama, and Deir ez-Zor with 350,000 participants. In Damascus, police used tear gas and sharp shots against demonstrators. There were 41 fatalities nationwide. During the protests, among other things, the release of prisoners was requested. 12,000 people have been arrested since the protests began.

    Meanwhile, the Iranian government, a key ally of the Syrian government, was considering financial aid to Syria to bolster the country's stagnant economy. The number of unemployed increased in Syria.

    16./17. July

    A conference of members of the opposition took place in Istanbul , Turkey on July 16 to discuss a strategy for overthrowing the government. If the government is overthrown, the police state should be dissolved and all ethnic groups should be given equal rights. The participants did not agree on whether a transitional government should be formed. Representatives from Turkey or Western countries were not present at the conference. A conference was originally planned to take place in Damascus at the same time, but the organizers canceled it after Syrian security forces appeared in the area and shot eight people.

    There were contradicting reports of clashes between different groups, including Alawites , on the weekend of 16/17. July in Homs. Depending on the report, there were 30 deaths, including three previously kidnapped Alawis, or seven dead.

    18./19. July

    Army units and other groups known by residents as death squads conducted operations in Homs. According to residents, the city was besieged; Soldiers were traveling in armored vehicles in all parts of the city. 13 people were shot on both days.

    22nd of July

    On Friday, July 22nd, demonstrations took place in Syria with a total of more than 1.2 million participants. According to a human rights organization, the largest demonstrations took place in Hama with 650,000 participants and in Deir ez Zor with 550,000 participants. There were further demonstrations in Damascus, Latakia, Darʿā and Qamishli. According to activists, eleven people died as a result of actions by security forces, including in Homs.

    The motto of the protests was to show solidarity for the city of Homs, where 50 people have died since the previous Saturday.

    There were reports of fighting between deserted soldiers and army units. There were explosions in an army facility in Homs on Friday night.

    July 25th

    The Syrian government approved a bill that allows the establishment of political parties . Parties have to respect the constitution and are not allowed to represent individual religions or ethnic groups. Oppositionists rejected the draft law because political freedom was not guaranteed and demonstrators were being persecuted by security forces. The bill had not yet entered into force.

    July 27th

    In a military operation, the army entered the city of Kanaker, 30 km from Damascus, with tanks. Residents defended themselves by throwing stones and burning tires. At least 11 people were killed during the operation and 300 people were arrested.

    July 29th, Friday, "Your silence kills us"

    Tens of thousands of people demonstrated against the government on Friday July 29th. There were a few deaths both on Friday night and on the day itself. The protests were put under the motto “Your silence kills us” by the organizers in order to draw attention to the inadequate support of the Arab protest movement in view of the violent action of the security forces World and from the west.

    In the early morning an explosion occurred on an oil pipeline near Homs. The Syrian state news agency called the explosion a terrorist attack.

    July 31, "Ramadan massacre"

    Syrian security forces entered the city of Hama with tanks . According to reports from a human rights organization, 136 people died. There were also fatalities in other cities, including Deir ez-Zor. The Lebanon reporter for Al Jazeera said the military operations of the past two weeks were an attempt by the government to forestall even bigger protests during the Islamic month of Ramadan . As one of the measures, many people were arrested. Ramadan started on August 1st in 2011. The events, especially in Hama, were also called the "Ramadan massacre".

    A spokesman for the US Embassy in Damascus said that contrary to what the Syrian government said, the protests were completely peaceful.

    August

    August 1st and 2nd, beginning of Ramadan

    In the run-up to Ramadan , which begins at the beginning of August, it was reported that the Syrian opposition wanted to use daily mosque visits during the Islamic month of fasting as a starting point for intense protests. The Syrian government responded with a massive military operation in various Syrian cities. According to human rights organizations, 140 civilians were killed in the west Syrian city of Hama alone , which is considered one of the centers of resistance. The military is said to have shot indiscriminately into the crowd with heavy weapons. The EU foreign policy representative Catherine Ashton described the action as a massacre. The UN Vice Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco spoke of an "alarming escalation". On August 2, Germany requested a special session of the UN Security Council , which, however, has not yet been able to agree on a joint resolution. So far, this has mainly been blocked by Russia and China.

    In the night of August 1 to August 2, 2011, around 20 tanks and armored vehicles are said to have marched into Az-Zabadani on the border with Lebanon after the residents of the health resort organized a solidarity campaign with the city of Hama.

    On August 2, 2011, according to the Reuters news agency, the Syrian armed forces once again fired tanks on the city of Hama - including mainly the Rubaii and al-Hamidiya districts.

    3rd August

    The city of Hama was still occupied by security forces. Activists reported gunfire and smoke in several parts of the city. The affected residents were prevented from leaving their homes. 100 tanks are said to have been on the way to the city. Another 200 are said to have been near the town of Deir ez-Zor.

    4th of August

    Syrian government security forces fired again at protesters, tens of thousands of whom took to the streets against the government across the country. At least 45 people are said to have died in a tank attack in the city of Hama. The electricity and water supply as well as all telephone and internet connections are said to have been interrupted in Hama. President Assad approved a new party law by decree that had previously been passed by the government.

    August 7th

    Several military operations reportedly resulted in over 70 deaths. At least 50 people are believed to have died in the town of Deir ez-Zor, where gunfire could be heard and electricity and telephone were cut. According to activists, dozens of people have been arrested.

    For the first time, the Arab League also condemned the violence against demonstrators. Secretary General Nabil El Araby expressed concern about the worsening situation in Syria.

    August 9

    Despite a visit by the Turkish Foreign Minister to Syria, the military operation continued in the city of Deir ez-Zor and 17 people are believed to have been killed. The army also moved into the towns of Sarmin and Binnisch in northwest Syria, where four civilians were killed.

    The Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu met with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus and brought him a message from the Turkish Prime Minister demanding that violence against demonstrators in Syria be stopped. Assad rejected the demands with clear words.

    August 12, Friday, "We will not kneel down"

    Security forces shot at demonstrators at demonstrations in the cities of Deir ez-Zor, Idlib and Darʿā. 19 people are said to have died nationwide. There were also demonstrations in Homs and Latakia. The motto of the protests was "We will not kneel down". In the Syrian state media, on the other hand, there was talk of the fight against armed groups controlled from abroad.

    13./14. August

    After the army marched into the port city of Latakia , according to human rights activists, residential areas were targeted. While the city was also shelled by at least three Syrian navy warships , security forces combed several neighborhoods. A Palestinian refugee camp in the city was also affected by the shelling. 25 people are said to have died as a result of the shelling of the city. Security forces also moved into the Damascus suburbs of Saqba and Hamriya and arrested many people.

    The Syrian state news agency once again stated that security forces would take action against armed groups and denied shelling of Latakia from the sea. In contrast, a Latakian resident told the al-Jazeera television station that there had been peaceful demonstrations in Latakia for three months and that there were no armed groups in the city.

    The governments of the USA, Saudi Arabia and Great Britain called for an immediate end to violence against civilians.

    18th of August

    The USA, Germany, France and Great Britain clearly distanced themselves from Assad and demanded his resignation. In a joint statement by Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron, it was said that Assad had “lost all legitimacy”. "We call on him to face the reality of the complete rejection of his regime by the Syrian people and to pave the way in the interests of Syria and the unity of his people." The EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton made a similar statement.

    In a telephone conversation with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announced the end of military operations against demonstrators. In contrast, Syrian opposition officials said the military had not withdrawn.

    The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report on the use of force by the security forces against protesters in Syria. The report documents the use of heavy weapons in several cities.

    23/24 August

    15 protesters died by security forces within 24 hours, including in Homs and Hama. In a suburb of Damascus, 150 people were arrested within two days.

    On August 23, the UN Human Rights Council began an investigation into the violence in Syria.

    August 25

    In Damascus, cartoonist Ali Ferzat was attacked, kidnapped and beaten by gunmen early in the morning . Commentators suspect the Syrian government was the mastermind behind the attack.

    30./31. August

    There were 7 people killed on August 30, including 6 in the Darʿā area. Amnesty International published a report on 88 people who died in police custody.

    A video was released on August 31st, in which Hama Governorate General Prosecutor Adnan Bakkour announced his resignation and reported that he had witnessed 70 executions and hundreds of incidents of torture. 420 dead were buried in public parks by security forces and the Shabbiha militia and he was forced to say armed groups were responsible for the killings. On the other hand, Syrian state television reported that Bakkour had been kidnapped by armed groups.

    September

    September 2nd

    There were protests against the government in several cities. Security forces tried to break up demonstrations in two Damascus suburbs by force. There and in Homs and Deir ez-Zor there were at least 18 fatalities.

    The EU agreed on an oil embargo at a meeting of foreign ministers in Poland. As of Saturday, September 3rd, no oil from Syria could be imported into the EU.

    7th of September

    According to activists, at least 17 people were killed in a military operation in the city of Homs. Security forces had entered the city with tanks and gunshots could be heard. In many parts of the city the telephone and the Internet had been cut. The day before, a demonstration with 2000 participants had taken place in Homs.

    According to Human Rights Watch , 18 patients were abducted in a security attack on a Homs hospital. The patients were taken from the sickbed. Doctors at the hospital were beaten.

    The planned visit of the Secretary General of the Arab League , Nabil Elaraby , to Syria was postponed by the Syrian government and should take place on September 10th.

    September 9, "Friday for International Protection"

    Large demonstrations were reported from the cities of Homs, Hama, Deir ez-Zor and Qamishli . The motto of Friday was that the demonstrators should receive protection from the international community and called for a permanent UN observer mission in Syria. In the city of Jiza, demonstrators carried a poster that read "The people demand international protection". According to activists, five people were killed, including a 15-year-old boy.

    A delegation from the Syrian opposition had traveled to Russia for assistance. She met a senior member of parliament. So far, the Russian government has not supported the sanctions imposed by the West on the Syrian government.

    September 10

    The Secretary General of the Arab League, Nabil Elaraby, visited Syria and met President al-Assad and other members of the government in Damascus. After the meeting, he said that an agreement had been reached on reform steps and that he had pushed President al-Assad into a timetable for reforms. Activists criticized the Arab League's long silence on the situation in Syria and accused the Arab League of wanting to keep the Syrian government in office. On the same day, at least 15 people were killed by security forces in Homs and Idleb province , according to activists .

    12th September

    Three Alawi clergy from Homs criticized the Syrian government, which itself consists largely of Alawis. They condemned the government's violence against demonstrators. On the other hand, they denied reports of clashes between the religious groups and complained in particular that these clashes had led to the kidnappings and killings of Alawites.

    September 15th

    In Istanbul, Turkey, members of the opposition elected a national council ( Syrian National Council ). It consists of 140 members; half of the members live in Syria. The council is supposed to help overthrow the government and then form a transitional government.

    UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the Syrian President to end the violence. The Syrian government has not kept its previous promises.

    16th September

    Demonstrations took place in many cities. According to activists, security forces shot demonstrators in Hama, Homs and Darʿā, killing at least 44 people.

    September 23 - Friday for the unity of the opposition

    On Friday, September 23, demonstrations took place in several Syrian cities, including in al-Rastan near Homs with 50,000 participants, as well as in Hama, Deir ez-Zor and several suburbs of Damascus. During a demonstration in the Damascus suburb of Qabun, slogans were shouted against the Iranian government and against Hezbollah . According to one resident, the city of Hama is occupied by the Syrian army and many checkpoints are said to have been set up within the city. According to activists, at least twelve people were killed by security forces in the protests on Friday.

    Amnesty International reported the death of an 18-year-old woman who had been tortured and died in prison. She was arrested back in July and was the first woman to die in prison during the uprising in Syria.

    Meanwhile, Switzerland joined the EU's oil import embargo with effect from September 24th.

    30. September

    Demonstrations with several thousand participants took place in many places, including in the suburbs of Damascus, in the provinces of Darʿā and Idlib, and in the cities of Homs, Hama and al-Rastan. In several places there were clashes between the demonstrators and security forces, with at least 30 deaths among the demonstrators, according to activists.

    At least in Damascus and al-Rastan there were desertions in the army and clashes between deserted soldiers and security forces loyal to the government. There are different figures about the number of deserted soldiers. In al-Rastan at least 100 or up to 1000 soldiers have deserted. While an activist reported that the " Free Syrian Army " now has 10,000 members , a Lebanese army general spoke to the news channel al-Jazeera about no significant division within the Syrian army.

    October

    October 2nd

    At a conference of Syrian opposition figures in Istanbul, Turkey, the goals of the Syrian National Council, founded in September, were set. The Syrian National Council wants to unite the opposition to the Syrian government. The National Council represents various opposition groups; its chairman is Burhan Ghalioun from Paris.

    According to information from activists and Syrian state television, government troops took control of the city of al-Rastan near Homs. While the state-run Syrian news agency spoke of a return to normalcy in al-Rastan, dozens of deaths and major destruction occurred in the city, according to a human rights organization from London. Soldiers who deserted from the Syrian army themselves confirmed their involvement in the fighting, saying that they had withdrawn because of the overwhelming majority of units loyal to the government.

    3rd / 4th October

    According to activists, there were clashes between deserted soldiers and units loyal to the government in north-west and south Syria.

    Amnesty International documented 30 cases of Syrians living abroad who were threatened because of their activities. Employees from Syrian embassies are also said to have been involved.

    October 7th

    Demonstrations against the Syrian government took place on Friday, October 7, during which support for the Syrian National Council, which is supported by opposition members, was declared. 21 people were killed in the demonstrations. Among those killed was the Kurdish oppositionist Maschaal Tammo (53), who was shot dead by four gunmen in his house in Qamishli. Tammo was a member of the Kurdish Future Party and the Syrian National Council .

    October 12th

    A demonstration in support of the Syrian government was held in Damascus city center and was attended by tens of thousands of people. Protesters turned against foreign interference and thanked Russia and China for vetoing a resolution in the UN Security Council. Pro-government demonstrations of this size had not occurred in Syria for months. Anti-government demonstrations in Damascus have been concentrated in the suburbs, not the city center.

    October 14th

    Thousands of people took part in demonstrations under the heading of “free soldiers” (meaning those deserted from the army) in Darʿā, Aleppo and in the suburbs of Damascus. According to activists, eleven protesters are said to have been shot dead by security forces.

    The number of people killed since the protests began, as confirmed by the UN Human Rights Council, has reached 3,000.

    15th October

    At a funeral service in central Damascus, there were clashes between participants and security forces, with two participants in the funeral service being shot dead. Previously, anti-government slogans had been shouted and stones had been thrown at the security forces. The memorial service was held for a ten-year-old boy who had died in a demonstration the day before.

    In Homs and Darʿā, security forces are conducting operations in residential areas and gunshots have been heard. Security forces searched for deserters in the Idlib area.

    A committee was set up by President Bashar al-Assad to draft a new constitution . The committee has 4 months to do this. The introduction of a multi-party system had previously been promised.

    October 28-30

    In the city of Homs, fighting broke out between government forces and deserters who had defected to the opposition. According to activists, government forces shelled the city and three people were killed. On Friday, October 28, 40 deaths were reported across Syria, both from fighting and operations against demonstrators. The Arab League called on President Bashar al-Assad to end the use of force.

    The British newspaper Sunday Telegraph published an interview with President al-Assad on October 30, in which he warns the West not to intervene in Syria. Intervening in Syria would also destabilize neighboring countries, he said, and compared this prospect with the current situation in Afghanistan. Regarding the uprisings in Syria, he said that security forces had initially made "many mistakes" but now only acted against "terrorists".

    November

    November 2-4

    Despite an agreement between the Syrian government and the Arab League to end the violence, protesters died as a result of the security forces' actions.

    According to the November 2nd agreement, Syrian security forces should no longer use force against demonstrators, army units should be withdrawn from the cities and political prisoners should be released. Journalists and human rights groups should be allowed to monitor the situation. Opposition groups saw the Syrian government's approval of the agreement as an attempt to buy time.

    According to activists, parts of the city of Homs were shelled with artillery. Over 100 dead were rushed to hospital within two days. Live ammunition was shot at people in a suburb of Damascus, one of which was killed. The French government has already accused the Syrian government of breaking its promises with regard to the agreement.

    November 7th

    The opposition Syrian National Council called the situation in parts of Homs catastrophic and called on the international community to take action to protect the civilian population. According to the National Council and activists, neighborhoods were still under fire, food was scarce, electricity and water were cut off and snipers were hindering supplies to the wounded. The appeal was addressed to the United Nations , the Organization for Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League .

    The Arab League announced a meeting for Saturday, November 12th, to discuss the Syrian government's failure to comply with the agreement reached.

    November 8th

    The Syrian army started an offensive in the city of Hama. According to information from the opposition, the city had been under fire and house searches had taken place.

    The French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé described the Arab League's initiative as a failure and brought about recognition of the opposition Syrian National Council for the first time.

    November 9th

    On the way to the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo, a delegation from the Syrian opposition group " National Coordination Committee " was pelted with eggs by demonstrators. Protesters opposed opposition dialogue with the Syrian government; However, representatives of the coordination committee also made it clear that dialogue was out of the question as long as the government was forcibly suppressing demonstrations. Commentators increasingly point to divisions within the opposition.

    November 12th

    Due to the continued violence against government opponents, the Arab League suspended Syria's membership.

    November 16

    Syrian deserters attacked the Air Force Intelligence Building in Harasta with anti-tank missiles. Six Assad soldiers were killed in the process.

    25. November

    According to activists, 26 people were killed in renewed protests, mainly in Homs province. State media, on the other hand, report that ten members of the security forces were also killed in an attack in Homs.

    The Arab League held a meeting to discuss the consequences of failing to meet the ultimatum it had given the Syrian government.

    December

    December 8th

    An oil pipeline was set on fire in Homs province. While state media blamed armed groups for the attack on the pipeline, opposition groups said the government had deliberately set the pipeline on fire.

    9/10 December

    According to activists, a total of 61 people were killed by security forces on both days, including in Homs. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon blamed President Bashar al-Assad for the ongoing violence in Syria.

    Opposition groups called for civil disobedience and a general strike for the working week beginning December 11.

    12th of December

    Local elections were held across Syria on the basis of the election law passed in August. No lists from the National Progressive Front, a former forced alliance between the Ba'ath Party and other parties, were said to have stood for election in the elections.

    13th December

    The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , Navi Pillay , spoke of more than 5,000 civilians murdered by Syrian security forces. In addition, “huge numbers” are tortured and raped in camps. Pillay therefore recommended that the UN Security Council go to the International Criminal Court.

    December 16

    Russia and China agreed to the UN Security Council to support a resolution against the state violence in Syria, but without pressure, for example in the form of sanctions against the government to exercise. Nevertheless, on December 16, 2011, large demonstrations took place across the country, including in the capital Damascus . Peaceful demonstrators were shot again by members of the army.

    22-28 December

    The first members of the Arab League's observer mission arrived in Damascus on December 22nd. The observer mission was led by the Sudanese general Mustafa al-Dabi .

    The day after the observers arrived on December 23, bombs exploded at two Syrian security forces' locations in Damascus. State media reported 44 deaths and blamed the terrorist organization al-Qaida . Opposition groups, on the other hand, said that the government itself orchestrated the bombing.

    Members of the observer mission visited the city of Homs for the first time on December 27 and 28. Security forces had withdrawn tanks from the city before the observers arrived, but tear gas and sharp shots were used as tens of thousands of demonstrators tried to gather. A video was published from Hama, which was also visited by the observers, showing demonstrators fleeing from security forces and black smoke. Al-Dabi called the situation in Syria "not good in some places", overall based on what observers could see, but "reassuring". At least seven people were killed in various locations, including Homs and Hama, on Wednesday, December 28, according to activists.

    Syrian state television reported the release of 755 people who had been arrested "in recent incidents".

    30th of December

    In the largest protests in several months, 500,000 people across the country demonstrated against the Syrian government, 250,000 of them in the Idlib region alone. There were clashes with security forces in several locations, using tear gas and sharp shots. According to activists, 32 people died among the demonstrators.

    The Arab League observer mission continued to visit Syrian sites. During the demonstrations, criticism of the observer mission was also expressed. The Reuters news agency reported banners saying "The observers are witnesses who see nothing at all".

    Web links

    Commons : Syria Civil War  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
     Wikinews: Portal: Syria  - in the news

    Individual evidence

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