Syrian War Conflict timeline

security forces kills harmless protesters, triggering violent unrest that steadily spread nationwide over the following months.

army tanks go into Deraa

The IAEA nuclear watchdog makes the decision to report Syria to the UN Security Council over its alleged covert nuclear programme reactor programme

– president Assad sacks the governor of Hama in the northern province

New Syrian National Council says it has forged a common front of internal and exiled opposition activists

Arab League votes to suspend Syria, accusing it of failing to implement an Arab peace plan, and imposes sanctions

the government increases the bombardment of homs and some other cities

Turkey changes rules of engagement after Syria shoots down a Turkish plane, declaring that if Syrian troops approach Turkey's borders they will be seen as a military threat.

Free Syria Army blows up three security chiefs in Damascus and seizes Aleppo in the north.

US, Britain, France, Turkey and Gulf states formally recognise opposition National Coalition as "legitimate representative" of Syrian people

Syria accuses Israel of bombing military base near Damascus, where Hezbollah was suspected of assembling a convoy of anti-aircraft missiles bound for Lebanon

UN weapon inspectors detect that there were chemical weapons used in the attack on the Ghouta area of Damascus in August that killed about 300 people

US and Britain suspend "non-lethal" support for rebels in northern Syria

Syrian Army and Hezbollah forces recapture Yabroud, the last rebel stronghold near the Lebanese border

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militants declare "caliphate" in territory from Aleppo to eastern Iraqi province of Diyala

Kurdish forces push Islamic State out of Kobane on Turkish border after four months of fighting

Islamic State fighters seize the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria and proceed to destroy many monuments at pre-Islamic World Heritage site

Russia carries out its first air strikes in Syria

Syrian Army allows rebels to evacuate remaining area of Homs

With the assistance of russian air strikes the Syrian government forces the retake of Palmyra from the Islamic State

Turkish troops cross into Syria to help rebel groups push back so-called Islamic State militants and Kurdish-led rebels from a section of the two countries' border.

Russia, Iran and Turkey agree to enforce a ceasefire between the government and non-Islamist rebels

President Trump orders a air strike attack on an airbase from which Syrian government planes allegedly staged a chemical weapons attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun

US decides to arm the YPG Kurdish Popular Protection Units

US shoots down Syrian fighter jet near Raqqa

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the Syrian army launch a military operation to dislodge jihadist groups from the Arsal area, near the Lebanese-Syrian border