Syrian Crisis - Timeline

Syria: First mass protests

Turkey: TP status granted to Syrian refugees

Turkish President Abdullah Gül urges Syrian President Assad to step down from power

LFIP and TP policy enacted; DGMM becomes operational

Islamic State: Declaration of Caliphate in Syria

Turkey: Attempt at limiting refugee flow by ending free-visa agreement held with Syria; Work permit system implemented

EU-Turkey Statement: agreement on Turkey's refugee intake

DGMM gains prominent role in tackling refugee issue

Completion of Turkey's wall building project on its border with Syria: closing border to Foreign Terrorist Fights (FTFs)

Turkey: First refugee camps built

Turkey starts forcibly deporting Syrian refugees to Syria

Defeat of IS Caliphate in Syria and Iraq

Erdogan threatens to send its refugees to Europe

Oct.: US withdraws troops from Syria ⇒ Turkey unilaterally launches Operation Peace Spring: military assault against Kurdish forces in northeast Syria to establish 'safe zone' for refugee resettlement

Nov 1: Joint Turkish and Russian patrols around alleged 'safe zone' start

Oct 29: SDF forces withdraws from designated 'safe zone' area

Turkey: Syria's first group of refugees cross the border

Battle of Kobane (IS vs YPG): massive Syrian refugee influx towards Turkey

Operation Euphrates Shield

Operation Olive Branch: Turkish operation to clear Afrin region in northern Syria from IS terrorist and Turkish Kurdish militants (PKK)