Syria has been in a state of emergency since 1963, which its governments justify by its state of war with Israel, and use to suspend its citizens’ constitutional rights. The al-Assad family, which has ruled since 1970, is Alawi Shiite, which is considered heretical by the majority Sunni population.

The 2011 uprising began on March 15th as simultaneous demonstrations occurred in major cities across the country. On April 25th, military forces besieged Daraa, using tanks and snipers, and cutting off water, power, and phone lines. By June 12th the city was reported to be under famine conditions with no supplies being allowed into the area. On June 10th, the Syrian army attacked Jisr-al Shughour in response to an alleged rebel ambush that resulted in the death of 120 policemen. Civilians claim the deaths were executions made by the Syrian army of soldiers refusing to fight. On July 31st, the Syrian army entered the city of Hama, firing on the public, and killing over 100 civilians in what was named the Ramadan Massacre.

 

News up to: 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

dw.de	Bomb shakes eastern Syrian city after anti-regime protests	05/19
bbc.co.uk	VIDEO: UN monitors targeted by Aleppo protests	05/19
boston.com	Syria: Suicide car bomb hits military compound	05/19
reuters.com	Car bomb hits Syria's Deir al-Zor, casualties reported	05/19
rferl.org	Syrian Car Bomb Rocks Eastern City	05/19
guardian.co.uk	Syria car bomb kills nine and injures hundreds	05/19
edition.cnn.com	U.N.: Observers dampen Syrian violence	05/18
af.reuters.com	Syria's Assad - Nations that sow chaos will suffer	05/18
dailytimes.com.pk	Regime forces fire on huge Syria protests	05/18
globalsecurity.org	UN Chief Blames al-Qaida for Syria Attack	05/18
nation.co.ke	Regime forces fire at Syria protesters	05/18
rferl.org	Syria Protesters Join Big Rally In Aleppo	05/18
aljazeera.com	Head of UN mission in Syria 'pessimistic'	05/18
france24.com	Syria opposition chief resigns amid infighting	05/18
dw.de	Thousands protest student deaths in Syria's second city	05/18
sltrib.com	Largest protests yet in Syrian city of Aleppo	05/18
thecuttingedgenews.com	The Battle for Syria - Syrian Attacks Continue to Roar as Mass Protests Spread	05/18
dailystar.com.lb	Syria-wide protests urged as Al-Qaeda threat grows	05/18
guardian.co.uk	Syria: 'Heroes of Aleppo university' protests - live updates	05/18
therecord.com	Largest protests yet in Syria’s biggest city is sign of growing anti-regime sentiment	05/18
english.people.com.cn	Syrian political process must not be delayed any further	05/18
tamilguardian.com	Syrian forces shoot 2 protesters	05/18
independent.co.uk	Syrian forces open fire on protesters in Aleppo	05/18
cnn.com	Obama to G8: Welcome ... to troubles	05/18
vancouversun.com	UN blames al-Qaida for bombings in Syria	05/18
straitstimes.com	Protesters join biggest demo in Syria's Aleppo: NGO	05/18
bbc.co.uk	Syria protests 'grip Aleppo city'	05/18
nytimes.com	Crackdown on Aleppo Students Stokes Fury in Syria	05/18
english.alarabiya.net	Largest protest in Aleppo since the start of the uprising, Annan to visit Syria ‘soon’	05/18
msnbc.msn.com	Japan's fugitive penguin seen alive in Tokyo Bay	05/17
panorama.am	Damascus losing information war, Assad says	05/17
strategypage.com	SYRIA: The Ally You Cannot Afford	05/17
guardian.co.uk	Syria opposition rift widens - live updates	05/17
reuters.com	Syria's Assad: Nations that sow chaos will suffer	05/17
turkishweekly.net	Salehi says Syrian Government must Give Annan's Plan a Chance	05/17
worldnews.msnbc.msn.com	A message to Assad? War games held near border	05/17
nytimes.com	Protesters Set Upon at Aleppo University Despite Monitors	05/17
dw.de	Leader of Syria's main opposition group to resign	05/17
npr.org	Head Of Syrian Opposition Group Says He Will Resign	05/17
dailystar.com.lb	Iranian engineers seized in Syria arrive in Tehran	05/17
thelede.blogs.nytimes.com	The Lede Blog: Student Protest in Syria Unfolds Live Online	05/17
english.alarabiya.net	Violence continues across Syria; activists say gov’t troops out to ‘destroy’ Rastan	05/17
english.alarabiya.net	Syria’s television confessions fail to convince many	05/16
aina.org	Iran's Ethnic Troubles	05/16
un.org	UN senior official condemns killing of Syrian citizen journalist	05/16
nationalpost.com	Nations that 'sow chaos' in Syria will suffer: Bashar al-Assad	05/16
nytimes.com	Bashar al-Assad, in Rare TV Interview, Disparages Opponents	05/16
dailystar.com.lb	Assad: Nations sowing chaos in Syria will suffer	05/16
guardian.co.uk	Syria's Bashar al-Assad vows to display captured foreign mercenaries	05/16
themalaysianinsider.com	Nations that sow chaos will suffer, Syria’s Assad warns	05/16
huffingtonpost.com	The Center for Public Integrity: U.S. arms Bahrain, despite human rights concerns	05/16
voanews.com	Analysis: Why Arab Springs Falter - Bahrain	05/16
mercurynews.com	Syrian leader, in rare TV interview, disparages opponents	05/16
foxnews.com	Assad says Syria is ready to show captured foreign mercenaries	05/16
foxnews.com	Assad says Syria is ready to show world that foreign mercenaries fighting for opposition	05/16
bbc.co.uk	VIDEO: Are moderate Syrians being heard?	05/16
turkishweekly.net	Al-Assad Forces Attack on UN Observer Delegation in Syria	05/16
atimes.com	COMMENT : Arab autocrats aiding terrorism	05/16
english.alarabiya.net	Violence continues across Syria; activists say gov’t troops out to ‘destroy’ Rastan	05/16
aljazeera.com	Rebels blame government	05/16
todayszaman.com	Turkish-Israeli ties strained again over KKTC airspace violation	05/16
globalsecurity.org	Three vehicles carrying UN observers damaged in bomb blast in Syria	05/15
israelnationalnews.com	Al Qaeda's Rise in Syria	05/15
af.reuters.com	Split Syria opposition keeps chief, violence grinds on	05/15
boston.com	US commander: Jordan war drill not threat to Syria	05/15
bbc.co.uk	Syria's squeezed moderate voices	05/15
english.alarabiya.net	Israel readies for possible unrest as Palestinians protest to mark 64th ‘Nakba’ Day	05/15
huffingtonpost.co.uk	WATCH: UN Observers Reportedly Attacked In Syria	05/15
vanguardngr.com	Bomb hits UN convoy in Syria again	05/15
csmonitor.com	Palestinian hunger strikes: the power of peaceful protest	05/15
aljazeera.com	Uneasy calm prevails in Lebanon's Tripoli	05/15
csmonitor.com	Palestinians mark Nakba Day with slingshots, despite calls for calm	05/15
impunitywatch.com	Syrian Revolution Digest: 14 May 2012	05/15
news24.com	Obscure jihadists enter Syrian conflict	05/14
mnnonline.org	Syria in disarray	05/14
rt.com	Syrian rebels, getting top treatment in Turkey, eye quick homecoming (PHOTOS)	05/14
straitstimes.com	EU foreign ministers agree new sanctions against Syria	05/14
turkishweekly.net	Despite Ceasefire Death Toll on Rise in Syria	05/14
dnaindia.com	Two dead, 20 hurt in Lebanon clashes	05/14
huffingtonpost.com	'We Feared Death Constantly'	05/14
timeslive.co.za	EU agrees to new Syria sanctions	05/14
news24.com	EU agrees on new sanctions against Syria	05/14
euronews.com	Lebanon PM in bid to end Syria-linked violence	05/14
israelnationalnews.com	Gaza Banks in Currency Crisis	05/14
csmonitor.com	Nonviolent tactics may be Syria's only path to freedom	05/14
turkishweekly.net	Syrians Protested against al-Assad's Regime in Brussels	05/14
jamestown.org	Circassian Activism Encompasses More Countries as the Opportunities for Interaction Expand	05/14
speroforum.com	Three vehicles carrying UN observers damaged in bomb blast in Syria	05/14
english.alarabiya.net	Israel readies for possible unrest as Palestinians protest to mark 64th ‘Nakba’ Day	05/14
dailystar.com.lb	Saudi Arabia: U.N.-backed peace plan in Syria unraveling	05/14
english.alarabiya.net	Saudi Arabia says Syria peace plan faltering, Iran should keep out of affairs with Bahrain	05/14
thecuttingedgenews.com	Battle for Syria - Flunking the Syria Test	05/14
english.alarabiya.net	Iran ‘could order Hezbollah hit on Israel’	05/14
timesofoman.com	Lebanese army exchanges fire with Islamists after ait-in protest	05/13
aljazeera.com	Syria's blame game	05/13
upi.com	Report: Syria quietly arresting dissidents	05/13
hrw.org	Syria: Activists Arrested, Held Despite Pledge to Annan	05/13
timeslive.co.za	Alawite-Sunni fighting erupts in Lebanon port city	05/13
daralhayat.com	Violence in Syria: between Theory and Practice	05/13
vancouversun.com	Syria violence kills 23	05/13