Arab Spring
In Syria, protests began on March 15th, 2011. Protests were directed against president Bashar al-Assad, who unlike many other Middle Eastern authoritarian leaders was not ousted during the Arab Spring. As the Syrian Revolution accelerated, governmental responses became increasingly violent and repressive. The Revolution of the Arab Spring transformed into a civil uprising, paving the way for a full-scale civil war, the Syrian civil war. The regime of Bashar al-Assad remains in power, even though opposition and resistance remains. Since 25 March 2011, more than 130 000 people have died and millions have been displaced, both internally and externally.