Syria Timeline 2011–2016

COLOR KEY: ■ EVENTS IN SYRIA ■ HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST REPORTS ■ U.S. GOVERNMENT ACTIONS/STATEMENTS

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

—— MARCH —— JANUARY 23 —— FEBRUARY 28 —— JANUARY-FEBRUARY —— FEBRUARY 17 —— FEBRUARY 1-FEBRUARY 3 Jabhat al-Nusra announces Enablers of the Syrian Conflict The first two rounds of peace talks attended The United States reaches an agreement with U.N.-mediated Syria peace talks begin in its formation as Syria’s —— MARCH 21 by the Syrian government and the National Turkey on training and arming Syrian rebels Geneva, but are swiftly suspended. official al-Qaeda affiliate. The United Nations investigates the possible use of chemical Opposition Coalition begin in Geneva. No fighting ISIS. —— FEBRUARY 22 progress is made. —— FEBRUARY 4 weapons in Syria. —— MAY 21 The United States and Russia announce that a Russia and China veto —— JUNE 13 —— FEBRUARY 10 ISIS takes control of Palmyra, a UNESCO World partial ceasefire in Syria will start on February a U.S.-backed U.N. Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes: “Our Addressing Barriers to the Resettlement of Heritage Site. 27. The ceasefire does not apply to attacks on Security Council resolution intelligence community assesses that the Assad regime has Vulnerable Syrian and Other Refugees —— SEPTEMBER 30 U.N.-designated terrorist organizations. condemning the violence used chemical weapons, including the nerve agent sarin, on —— JUNE 3 Russia carries out its first airstrikes in Syria. Its —— FEBRUARY and calling for a political a small scale against the opposition multiple times in the last President Assad wins elections in government- operations target the U.S.-supported non-ISIS The Syrian Refugee Crisis and the Need for transition. Inspired by demonstrations across the region, year.” held areas in Syria. opposition. U.S. Leadership protestors begin demanding democratic —— FEBRUARY 6 —— JUNE 30 —— JUNE 23 —— OCTOBER 8 reforms. Security forces retaliate by opening The United States closes How to Stop Doing Business with Russia’s Arm Exporter The last of Syria’s chemical weapons are The United States officially announces the end fire and violently dispersing the protests. its embassy in Damascus, shipped out of the country for their destruction —— JULY 31 of its program to train and equip Syrian rebels. citing security concerns. as a result the 2013 U.S.-Russia agreement. —— MAY 10-18 5 Things You Should Know About Chemical Weapons and —— OCTOBER 30 The United States imposes sanctions on —— FEBRUARY 19 International Law —— JUNE 10 The United States announces it will send President Bashar al-Assad and senior Syrian U.S. Senators John McCain After four days of fighting ISIS seizes the city —— AUGUST 21 special operations forces into Syria to serve in government officials. and Lindsey Graham of Mosul in Iraq. an advisory capacity. advocate for indirectly A chemical weapons attack on a Damascus suburb kills an —— AUGUST 18 arming the Syrian estimated 1,400 people. —— JUNE 29 —— OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 14 President Obama: “For the sake of the Syrian ISIS announces a self-declared caliphate opposition, saying “people —— AUGUST 26 people the time has come for President Assad with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi at its head in the that are being massacred Secretary Kerry: “President Obama believes there must be —— MARCH 14-24 to step aside.” territory it controls in Syria and Iraq. deserve to have the ability accountability for those who would use the world’s most U.N. peace talks resume in Geneva. The Syrian —— OCTOBER 4 to defend themselves.” heinous weapons against the world’s most vulnerable people.” —— AUGUST 19 regime and opposition delegations agree on The U.N. Security Council considers a U.S.- American journalist James Foley is the first 12 common points. —— FEBRUARY 24 —— AUGUST 30 supported resolution condemning Assad’s U.S. citizen executed by ISIS in Syria. President At the Friends of Syrian President Obama: “[W]hen over 1,000 people are killed, —— MARCH 14 government and threatening sanctions. Russia Obama: “The people of Syria, whose story Jim People meeting in including hundreds of innocent children… and there is no President Putin announces that Russia will be and China veto it. Foley told, do not deserve to live under the Tunis, Secretary Clinton action, then we’re sending a signal that that international pulling out the “main part” of its military forces shadow of a tyrant or terrorist.” states: “We view the norm doesn’t mean much. And that is a danger to our in Syria. Syrian National Council national security.” —— SEPTEMBER-JANUARY The United States, Russia, Turkey, and Saudi —— MARCH 24 as a leading legitimate ISIS launches an assault on the city of Kobani. —— AUGUST 31 Arabia initiate Syria peace talks in Vienna Secretary of State Kerry after meeting with representative of Syrians The town’s defense becomes symbolic of the President Obama calls for Congress to vote to authorize U.S. which include participation by Iran, but no Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in seeking peaceful fight against the group, eventually involving military action in Syria. agreement is reached. Moscow: “We agreed on a target schedule democratic change.” the Free Syrian Army, coalition airstrikes, and —— NOVEMBER 19 for establishing a framework for a political —— MAY 7 —— SEPTEMBER 4 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. transition and also a draft constitution, both of The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approves a President Obama, speaking of the Vienna Parliamentary elections are —— SEPTEMBER 23 process: “I do not foresee a situation in which which we target by August.” held but boycotted by the resolution authorizing U.S. military action in Syria in a 10-7 vote. we can end the civil war in Syria while Assad —— MARCH 28 opposition. remains in power.” State Department spokesperson John Kirby: —— SEPTEMBER 9 —— AUGUST 20 —— DECEMBER 10 “There’s been no change on our part on President Obama: “We Russia proposes that Syria give up its chemical weapons as a what the future for Assad and Syria need compromise in order to avoid U.S. military strikes. Refugee Resettlement—Security Screening have been very clear to Information to be… [W]hat the Syrian people need is a the Assad regime, but —— SEPTEMBER 10 government away from him.” —— DECEMBER 15 also to other players on President Obama calls on Congress to postpone voting on —— APRIL 13 the ground, that a red line the authorization of force resolution as he works out an At a press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Secretary of State The next round of Syria peace talks resume in for us is we start seeing a agreement with Russia. Geneva. whole bunch of chemical Kerry: “As I emphasized today, the United —— SEPTEMBER 14 weapons moving around or The U.S.-led coalition begins airstrikes against States and our partners are not seeking so- The United States and Russia announce the framework of a being utilized.” ISIS targets in Syria. called ‘regime change,’ as it is known in Syria.” deal to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons. —— SEPTEMBER 28 —— DECEMBER 31 —— NOVEMBER 21 The United States says In 2014, 76,000 people die in the Syria Refuge at Risk: The Syria Crisis and U.S. Leadership it will supply Syrian conflict, according to the United Nations, opposition rebels with non- making it the deadliest year since the conflict lethal aid. began.