2012 in Syria

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Decades:	1990s 2000s 2010s
See also:	Other events of 2012 List of years in Syria

Events from the year 2012 in Syria.

Incumbents

• President: Bashar al-Assad
• Prime Minister:
  • until 23 June: Adel Safar
  • 23 June-6 August: Riyad Farid Hijab
  • 6 August-11 August: Omar Ibrahim Ghalawanji
  • starting 11 August: Wael Nader al-Halqi

Events

For events related to the Civil War, see Timeline of the Syrian Civil War (January–April 2012), Timeline of the Syrian Civil War (May–August 2012) and Timeline of the Syrian Civil War (September–December 2012)

January

• January 1 - Syrian Civil War
  • The Arab Inter-parliamentary Union, an advisory body to the Arab League, calls for the removal of its monitors in Syria, saying that they are inadvertently helping the government cover up ongoing violence.
  • Syrian opposition groups say that over 5,800 people were killed in violence in 2011.
• January 2 - The Arab League calls for a ceasefire in Syria, saying that tanks and heavy weaponry have been withdrawn from Syrian cities, but warning that snipers remain a threat.
• January 5 - Syrian Civil War
  • 552 political detainees are released by the government.
  • A senior official from the Defence Ministry defects while in Cairo.
  • Qatar's Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani says the Arab League monitors have made "mistakes" in Syria.
• January 6 - According to Syrian state media, 26 people are killed and 63 wounded when a suicide bomber blows himself up at a police station in Damascus. The Syrian opposition blames the Syrian government for orchestrating the attack, and alleges that they have leaked information from security forces that Aleppo is next.
• January 11 - Syrian Civil War
  • A French journalist is killed, along with eight others, by a mortar in Homs.
  • Israel is bracing for an increase of Syrian refugees into Golan Heights, according to Israel's military chief.
• January 12 - The Arab League delays sending more observers to Syria; one of its observers also quits the mission.
• January 13 - Security forces kill at least 13 protesters, including three children, amid ongoing protests in Syria.
• January 14 - The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, proposes that Arab League troops be sent to Syria to end ongoing violence in the country.
• January 15 - Syrian Civil War
  • United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls on the Syrian government to "stop killing its own people".
  • President Bashar al-Assad offers a general amnesty for crimes committed since the uprising began.
• January 17 - Syrian Civil War
  • Syria rejects calls for Arab troops to intervene in the country's conflict.
  • 25 people are killed by Syrian security forces in the latest violence.
• January 19 - The Arab League observer mission ends, with its report to be reviewed at the weekend.
• January 20 - At least 10 people are killed in violence after Friday prayers.
• January 22 - Arab League ministers meet in Cairo, Egypt, to discuss the extension of its monitoring mission in Syria.
• January 23 - At least 22 civilians are shot dead across Syria by security forces under the Syrian government.
• January 24 - 52 civilians are killed by Syrian security forces, 39 of which were killed in the city of Hama alone.
• January 25 - 18 protesters are shot dead by Syrian security forces.
• January 26 - The Arab League calls on the United Nations Security Council to back its plan to end the violence in Syria.
• January 27 - Syrian Civil War
  • Activists say the Syrian Army has launched new attacks against Homs and Hama, as the United Nations Security Council prepares to discuss the conflict.
  • Syrian security forces kill over 100 civilians across Syria, primarily in the cities of Homs and Daraa.
• January 28 - The Arab League suspends its observer mission, citing increased violence.
• January 29 - Syrian Civil War
  • Syrian Army forces launch an offensive in areas of the capital Damascus, as 60 people are killed across the country in the latest violence.
  • The Free Syrian Army orders a tactical withdrawal from the affected suburbs.

February

• February - February 2012 Idlib Operation

March

• March 10–13 - Battle of Idlib (2012)
• March 17 - March 2012 Damascus bombings

April

• April - April 2012 Idlib Governorate Operation
• April - April 2012 Damascus bombings

May

• May - May 2012 Battle of Rastan
• May 10 - 10 May 2012 Damascus bombings

July

• July 15-August 4 - Battle of Damascus (2012)
• July 18 - 18 July 2012 Damascus bombing

August

• August–October - Rif Dimashq offensive (August–October 2012)

September

• September - September 2012 Aleppo bombing

October

• October - October 2012 Aleppo bombings

Deaths

• January 11 - Gilles Jacquier, French journalist
• February 22 - Rémi Ochlik, French journalist and Marie Colvin, American journalist
• May 28 - Bassel Shehadeh
• July 18 - Dawoud Rajiha, Assef Shawkat and Hasan Turkmani
• July 20 - Hisham Ikhtiyar
• August 20 - Mika Yamamoto
• September 26 - Maya Nasser