Syrian Civil War 2011-2012 - Societa italiana di storia militare
Syrian Civil War 2011-2012 - Societa italiana di storia militare
Syrian Civil War 2011-2012 - Societa italiana di storia militare
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26 January On 26 January, Hasan Ali Akleh from Al-Hasakah poured gasoline on himself and set himself on fire, in the same way<br />
Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi had in Tunis on 17 December 2010. Accor<strong>di</strong>ng to eyewitnesses, the action was "a protest against the<br />
<strong>Syrian</strong> government". [3][4][5]<br />
28 January On 28 January, an evening demonstration was held in Ar-Raqqah, to protest the killing of two sol<strong>di</strong>ers of Kur<strong>di</strong>sh<br />
descent. [5][6] February <strong>2011</strong><br />
2 February On 2 February, a group of 20 people in civilian clothing beat and <strong>di</strong>spersed 15 people who had been hol<strong>di</strong>ng a candlelight<br />
vigil at Bab Tuma in Damascus for Egyptian demonstrators, Human Rights Watch reported. [7]<br />
4–16 February On 3 February, a "Day of Rage" was called for in Syria from 4–5 February on social me<strong>di</strong>a sites Facebook and<br />
Twitter. Protesters demanded governmental reform. Most protests took place outside of Syria, and were small. [8][9][10][11] The protests<br />
were expected to begin on 4 February, as social me<strong>di</strong>a mobilised the <strong>Syrian</strong> people for rallies deman<strong>di</strong>ng freedom, human rights, and<br />
the end to the country's state of emergency. Protests were also scheduled for 5 February in front of the parliament in Damascus, and at<br />
<strong>Syrian</strong> embassies internationally. [12] Al Jazeera reported increased security for the planned "Days of Rage." [13] The only known action<br />
took place on 5 February, when hundreds of protesters in Al-Hasakah participated in a mass demonstration, calling for Assad's<br />
departure. <strong>Syrian</strong> authorities arrested dozens, and a demonstration was quickly triggered. [14] Suhair Atassi, who runs the banned Jamal<br />
Atassi Forum, called for political reforms and the reinstatement of civil rights, as well as for an end to the emergency law that has<br />
been in place since 1962. [15] However, no protests occurred on either date. [16][17][18] After the failure of attempts to arrange a "Day of<br />
Rage," Al Jazeera described the country as "a kingdom of silence". It identified the key factors underlying <strong>Syrian</strong> stability as the<br />
country's strict security measures, the popularity of President Bashar al-Assad, and fear of potential sectarian violence in the aftermath<br />
of a government ouster (akin to neighbouring Iraq). [19]<br />
17 February<br />
Protests in Damascus, Syria, 17 February <strong>2011</strong> on YouTube<br />
On 17 February, a spontaneous demonstration broke out outside Al-Hami<strong>di</strong>yah Souq in Damascus, to protest the police beating of a<br />
local shop owner. Several men gathered and blocked a road, while chanting that "The <strong>Syrian</strong> people will not be humiliated". An<br />
eyewitness estimated that there were more than 1,500 demonstrators. Secret police officers arrived on the scene quickly, along with<br />
several government officials and finally Syria's interior minister, who <strong>di</strong>spersed the demonstrators, took the shop owner into his car,<br />
and promised an investigation. [7][20][21] A couple of hours later, several videos of the events were posted on YouTube. [22]<br />
22 February On 22 February, about 200 people gathered outside the Libyan embassy in Damascus to protest against the Libyan<br />
regime, and ask that the ambassador resign. Despite the peaceful demonstration, there were nearly twice as many secret and<br />
uniformed police as there were protesters. The demonstrators carried placards rea<strong>di</strong>ng "Freedom for the people" and "Down with<br />
Gaddafi". The protesters then started chanting "Traitors are those that beat their people", which created nervousness among the<br />
security forces, who imme<strong>di</strong>ately asked the people to return to their homes. 14 people were arrested but later released, and several<br />
more were beaten by policemen. Some protesters were punched, kicked and beaten with sticks. All present had their identities<br />
recorded. [7][23][24]<br />
23 February On 23 February, during a routine session of the <strong>Syrian</strong> Parliament, a member proposed that harsh emergency laws be<br />
reviewed. The issue was not scheduled for <strong>di</strong>scussion, and its introduction came as a surprise. A pro-government official who was at<br />
the session recalled it with anger. The proposal was rapidly quashed, when the speaker put the proposed review to a vote in the<br />
chamber, but none of the other 249 MPs supported it. [25] March <strong>2011</strong><br />
6 March On 6 March, a number of young boys under 15 years of age were arrested in Daraa, for writing on the walls of the city a<br />
slogan of the 2010–11 Arab uprisings that: "the people want to overthrow the regime". [26] It was reported that Libyan Anti-Gaddafi<br />
forces shot down two <strong>Syrian</strong> war planes in Ra's Lanuf, Libya; this was later denied by <strong>Syrian</strong> officials. [27][28][29] In Lebanon, four<br />
brothers, all of them <strong>Syrian</strong> opposition activists, went missing shortly after passing out flyers in front of the <strong>Syrian</strong> embassy in Beirut,<br />
calling for a demonstration to oppose Syria's government. [30] TIME said that the commitment could still be found among the <strong>Syrian</strong><br />
youth, but that what was needed was a starting point. [31] Ribal al-Assad said that it was almost time for Syria to be the next domino. [32]<br />
7 March On 7 March 13 <strong>Syrian</strong> political prisoners went on a hunger strike to protest against "political detentions and oppression" in<br />
Syria. They demanded an end to political arrests, the removal of injustices, and the restitution of rights that had been removed from<br />
civil and political life. [33][34]<br />
10 March On 10 March, dozens of jailed Kurds in Syria, from the Yakiti Party and from the Democratic Union, started a hunger<br />
strike in solidarity with other activists who had also initiated hunger strikes in a prison near Damascus three days earlier. [35] Human<br />
Rights Watch reacted to the <strong>di</strong>sappearance of <strong>Syrian</strong> activists in Lebanon four days earlier, in<strong>di</strong>cating that it feared that Lebanon is<br />
"back to doing Syria's <strong>di</strong>rty job". [36] The <strong>Syrian</strong> Foreign Ministry stated that Syria was monitoring with high concern "the tragic<br />
developments in the brotherly country of Libya". [37] <strong>Syrian</strong> newspaper Al-Watan said that the <strong>Syrian</strong> government welcomed the fall of<br />
Mubarak's regime, and was looking forward to a new leadership that does not "cover for Israeli violations". [38] The Reform Party of<br />
Syria asserted that "al-Assad is sen<strong>di</strong>ng arms to Gaddafi to kill his people with". [39]<br />
12 March On 12 March, thousands of <strong>Syrian</strong> Kurds in al-Qamishli and in al-Hasakah protested on the day of Kur<strong>di</strong>sh martyr, which<br />
is an annual event since 2004, when many <strong>Syrian</strong> kurds <strong>di</strong>ed in anti-government demonstrations. [40][41][42] Al Jazeera reported that a<br />
civilian vessel, loaded with weapons and ammunition and 500 SUVs had sailed from the port of Tartus in Syria towards Tripoli in<br />
Libya, in order to supply the Gaddafi forces. The reporter said that the <strong>Syrian</strong> battalion is fighting alongside Gaddafi against the<br />
Libyan rebels. [43][44] That was also confirmed with an interview with Libyan politician Ibrahim Jibreel. [45]