2015 Event France and the U.K. agree to share responsibility for taking in immigrants fleeing Syria and other conflict-ridden nations; France agrees to accept 24,000 people over the next two years, and the U.K. will accept 20,000 2015 Event Over 6,000 Syrian migrants arrive in Austria after being detained in Hungary in an effort to control the recent mass wave of refugees fleeing Syria and other war-torn nations; many of the migrants plan to seek asylum in Austria and Germany 2015 Event Turkey sends troops to Syria to rescue 40 guards and relocate remains from the tomb of Sulayman Shah, which is now surrounded by ISIS militants; the site is internationally recognized as Turkish territory 2014 Event The U.N. World Food Program stops assistance to over 1.7 million Syrian refugees in the nations adjoining Syria; the program has provided over $800 million in aid but lacks funds to continue this support 2014 Event U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel resigns; the resignation may be due to disagreements over current U.S. strategy concerning Islamic State militants and the conflict in Syria 2014 Event The Turkish government has reversed its stance and is now allowing Kurds to cross into Syria in order to fight Islamic State forces 2014 Event United Nation member states agree to a resolution aiming to prevent their citizens from joining or supporting militant groups, particularly the Islamic State, in Iraq and Syria 2014 Event The U.N. will remove peacekeepers from the Syrian side of Golan Heights after the recent capture and release of 45 U.N. troops from Fiji by Syrian rebel forces; the U.N. has worked in the area for 40 years to keep peace between Syria and Israel 2014 Event Pope Francis gives Easter Mass in St. Peter's square; his message included prayer for peace in Syria and Ukraine, a halt to Boko Haram attacks against Nigerian Christians, and for all to care for the hungry and the needy 2013 Event Pope Francis gives his Urbi et Orbi speech (to the City of Rome and to the World), a papal address and Apostolic Blessing dating back to Ancient Rome; the Pope calls for peace in Syria and South Sudan 2013 Event Britain agrees to help Syria destroy over 165 tons of chemical weapons; the stockpile includes substances that could be used to make highly toxic nerve agents 2013 Event Syria, Iran and North Korea are condemned for human rights violations by the United Nations 2013 Event Syria's chemical weapons arsenal requires an eradication site; Belgium rejected being a candidate for the destruction, suggesting the stockpile should be destroyed close to Syria 2013 Event The Organization on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons reports it has completed the inspection of 21 out of 23 chemical weapons sites across Syria, resulting in the destruction of over 1,000 metric tons of toxic agents and munitions 2013 Event The war-torn city of Deir Ezzor, Syria experiences the first outbreak of polio in 14 years, with 22 people suspected of having the viral disease 2013 Event An agreement is made between the U.S. and Russia to draw up a UN Security Council resolution to eliminiate chemical weapons in Syria 2013 Event Syria's President, Bashar al-Assad, states he will grant international weapons inspectors access to chemical weapons sites, but rebels may make the sites unreachable 2013 Event In a report sent to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Syria claims it has fully disclosed information regarding its chemical weapons program 2013 Event A resolution authorizing limited U.S. military intervention in Syria is approved by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee 2013 Event Syria's former defense minister, Ali Habib Mahmud is reported to have defected to Turkey 2013 Event The legality of the United States' plans to strike Syria without UN backing are called into question by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon 2013 Event Upon concluding their search for chemical weapons in Syria, UN inspectors leave Damascus 2013 Event U.S. President Barack Obama claims he is ready to order a strike on Syria, but will seek approval from Congress 2013 Event Lakhdar Brahimi, UN Special Envoy to Syria, says international law states that any action in response to Syria's use of chemical weapons must be decided by the UN Security Council 2013 Event As the U.S. prepares an alleged imminent attack on Syria, Walid Muallem, Foreign Minister of Syria, denies that Syrian government forces used chemical weapons 2013 Event Syria's government allows UN weapons inspectors to visit the site outside of Damascus suspected of a chemical weapons attack during the conflict 2013 Event 'Le Monde' reports the Assad regime in Syria continues to use chemical weapons 2013 Event Turkey's Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan responds to air strikes on Syria, saying Israel's government is waging 'state terrorism' 2012 Event The 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran, Iran, closes with a 60-page final document focusing on Iran's nuclear energy program and the Palestinian issue, with no mention of the civil war in Syria 2012 Event Syria accuses Ban Ki-moon, Secretary of the United Nations, of 'encouraging attacks on the government' 2012 Event A mortar in Horns, Syria, kills a friend journalist along with eight others 2011 Event The Arab League agrees to impose sanctions on Syria due to the nation's continued violent uprising; Syria says the move is 'unprecedented' 2011 Event Further sanctions are imposed on Belarus, Iran and Syria by the EU, who reiterates the call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down 2011 Event The Government of Syria is under investigation by the U.N. Human Rights Council for alleged human rights violations during the 2011 Syrian uprising 2011 Event Walid al-Muallem, foreign minister of Syria, denounces the European Union for the travel bans and asset freezes it has imposed on Syria 2011 Event The U.S. intends to impose sanctions on Bashar al-Assad, President of Syria, for alleged human rights breaches during the 2011 Syrian Uprising 2010 Event Somali pirates seize a freighter from Syria with 24 crewmembers in the Gulf of Aden 2005 Event Syria withdraws troops from Lebanon, ending its 29 year military occupation 1994 Event Fishing boat with school children capsize at Lanaka Syria, 46 killed 1992 Death Nureddin Al-Atassi, president of Syria (1966-70), dies 1991 Event Syria tells Germany they are ready to recognize Israel 1986 Event Great Britain drops diplomatic relations with Syria 1984 Event Syria frees captured U.S. pilot after appeal from Jesse Jackson 1983 Event Syria and Saudi Arabia announce cease-fire in PLO civil war in Tripoli 1983 Event Syria throws out PLO leader Arafat 1982 Event Israel and Syria stop fighting in Lebanon 1982 Event Government troops and Moslem-fundamentalists battle in Hamah Syria 1981 Event Israel annexes Golan Heights (seized from Syria in war of 1967) 1980 Event U.S.S.R. and Syria sign peace treaty 1979 Event Moslem Brotherhood kills 62 sheiks in Aleppo, Syria 1977 Event Egypt breaks dipl relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq and S Yemen 1976 Event Syria drives Palestinian guerrillas out of Lebanon 1975 Event Il-62 crashes south of Damascus, Syria, killing 126 1974 Event Israel and Syria sign an agreement concerning Golan Heights 1973 Event Israel, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, U.S. and U.S.S.R. meet in Geneva 1973 Event Israeli counter offensive in southern Syria 1973 Event Yom Kippur War begins as Syria and Egypt attack Israel 1973 Birthday Ghada Shouaa, Syria, heptatlete, 1996 Olympics gold 1973 Event Syria adopts constitution 1971 Event Egypt, Libya and Syria form federation (FAR) 1971 Event Lieutenant General Hafiz al-Assad becomes President of Syria 1970 Event Lieutenant General Hafez al-Assad becomes Prime Minister of Syria following military coup 1969 Event General Hafez al-Assad becomes head of Syria via miltary coup 1969 Event 9 Jews publically executed in Damascus Syria 1967 Event Israel, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt end "6-Day War" with United Nations help 1966 Event Ba'ath-party takes power in Syria 1966 Event Military coup in Syria ends Bitar government 1964 Event Egypt/Iraq/Jordan/Kuwait/Syria form common market 1963 Event General Amin al-Hafez becomes president of Syria 1963 Event Failed military coup in Syria 1963 Event Syrian Arab Rep Revolution Day - Military coup in Syria 1962 Event Emir Said al-Djazairi takes van Algerian throne in Syria 1962 Event Military coup in Syria, President Nazim al-Kudsi flees 1961 Event Mamum Kuzbari becomes premier of Syria 1961 Event Syria withdraws from United Arab Republic 1958 Event Egypt and Syria form United Arab Republic (UAR) 1958 Event Syria joins Egypt in United Arab Republic 1958 Event Egypt and Syria announce plans to merge into United Arab Republic 1957 Event U.S.S.R. offers Syria economic/military aid 1955 Event Sjukri al-Quwatli re-elected president of Syria 1953 Birthday Khabib Munir, Syria, cosmonaut, Soyuz TM-3 backup 1952 Event Arab Liberation Movement becomes only party of Syria 1951 Event Military coup under Col Adib el-Shishakli in Syria 1951 Birthday Muhammed Ahmad Faris, Syria, cosmonaut, Soyuz TM-3 1950 Event Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria sign security pact 1949 Event Military coup under colonel Sami Hinnawi in Syria 1949 Death Husni al-Barazi, premier of Syria, shot to death 1949 Death Husni el-Zaim, president/dictator of Syria, shot to death 1949 Event Presidential election in Syria (some women allowed to vote) 1948 Event Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabian troops attack Israel 1946 Event Syria declares independence from French administration 1946 Event Syria gains independence from France 1945 Event Egypt and Syria declares war on nazi-Germany 1941 Event Cease fire of Joan of Arc, ends combat in Lebanon and Syria 1941 Event 2nd French troops occupies Damascus Syria 1941 Event English and French troop overthrow pro-German Syria 1933 Death Faisal I ibn Hussein ibn Ali, 1st king of Iraq/Syria, dies at 50 1930 Birthday Hafez al Assad, president, Syria 1926 Event French air force bombs Damascus, Syria 1924 Event French government names General Serrail Governor-General of Syria 1898 Birthday John George, Syria, actor, Kolb-Adventures of Fu Manchu 1883 Birthday Faisal I ibn Hussein ibn Ali, 1st king of Iraq/Syria 1837 Event Earthquake in southern Syria kills thousands 1822 Event Antioch Syria, hit by Earthquake; about 20,000 die 1516 Event Battle at Aleppo: Turks beat Syria 1497 Event Jews are expelled from Graz (Syria) 1496 Event Jews are expelled from Syria 1420 Event Jews of Syria and Austria expelled 1191 Death Saladin [Salah ad-Din] Yusuf, sultan of Egypt/Syria, dies at 52 1174 Death Nur ad-Din Mahmud, King of Syria, dies 1110 Event Syria harbor city Saida (Sidon) surrenders to Crusaders 1109 Event Crusaders capture Syria's harbor city of Tripoli 1099 Event 1st Crusaders begins siege of Hosn-el-Akrad Syria 1099 Event Crusaders set fire to Mara Syria 1098 Event 1st Crusaders capture and plunder Mara Syria 969 Event Byzantines troops occupy Antioch Syria 526 Event Earthquake kills 250,000 in Antioch, Syria 9 Death Publius Quinctilius Varus, Roman viceroy of Syria, suicide at 59
