Damascus was the seat of the Umayyad Caliphate and a provincial capital under the Mamluk Sultanate. The modern Syrian state was established in the mid-20th century after centuries of Ottoman rule, as a French Mandate. The state represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly Ottoman -ruled Syrian provinces.
Long-suppressed internal tensions led to the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011. Assad’s brutal response to the civil war failed to keep him in power and, after a tremendous amount of death and destruction, he was finally deposed in December 2024.
2011 - Outbreak of the Syrian civil war. Inspired by the "Arab Spring" uprisings, confrontation between the government and opposition soon develops into a multi-sided fight involving Islamists...
In this In Focus section, UN News provides comprehensive coverage of the crisis, its impact and the urgent actions needed for Syria’s stability and recovery. Stay informed on the latest...