Syrian civil war
The Syrian civil war started on 15 March 2011 with demonstrations in Daraa, demanding the Ba'ath government to resign and stop Assad's authoritarian rule. These demonstrations resulted from rising discontent among Syrian citizens regarding what Syria had become under the regime of President Assad. In March 2011, children between 10 and 15 wrote antiregime graffiti on a wall saying, "It's your turn, Doctor". The regime quickly arrested these children and tortured them in prison. Consequently, demonstrations started to erupt in Daraa, demanding the immediate release of these children. The regime tortured to death one of the 13-year-old boys they captured. His name was Hamza al-Khatib, and he became one of the early symbols of the brutal oppression the nation is fighting against. The demonstrations in Daraa escalated after Syrian security forces reacted extremely violently, using water cannons, tear gas, and live bullets. The Syrian regime responded with increasingly more violence.