What happened in 2025? The most prominent political, military developments in Syria

The year 2025 began for Syria with the repercussions of an event that occurred at the end of 2024: the fall of the Ba'ath regime. What were the most prominent political and field developments in the country?

The most prominent political and field developments, in chronological order:

January 3: The French Foreign Minister, speaking from Damascus, called for a "political solution" with the Kurds.

January 3: France and Germany emphasized the necessity of achieving a peaceful and inclusive transition of power in Syria.

January 10: The European Union stipulated "tangible progress" as a condition for gradually easing sanctions.

January 10: Western powers warned Damascus against appointing foreign jihadists to the army.

January 17: Calls for protests by employees dismissed by the interim government authorities.

January 18: The European Union announced a €235 million aid package for Syria.

January 27: Forces affiliated with the interim government carried out 35 executions over three days in the Homs countryside.

January 28: For the first time since the fall of the Ba'ath regime, a high-level Russian delegation arrived in Syria.

January 29: al-Sharaa assumed the presidency of the government-controlled areas during the transitional phase and suspended the constitution.

February 3: A car bomb explosion in the northern Syrian city of Manbij killed 18 people.

February 4: Without official welcoming ceremonies, the Turkish president received al-Sharaa.

February 13: An international conference on Syria was held in Paris.

February 24: The European Union suspended some sanctions imposed on key economic sectors in Syria.

February 24: Local factions in Swedia announced the formation of a military council.

February 25: The interim government held a "dialogue" conference without the participation of various Syrian groups, movements, and factions.

March 3: Israeli airstrikes targeted the vicinity of Tartus, and Tel Aviv announced it had targeted a military site.

March 6: Interim government forces launched attacks against Alawites, resulting in the deaths of 1,383 people in the Syrian interior and coastal regions.

March 10: Syria's neighboring countries warned of the resurgence of ISIS during a five-way meeting in Amman.

March 10: An eight-point agreement was signed between the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces and the interim government.

March 11: Seventeen Israeli strikes targeted sites in Daraa, southern Syria.

March 13: The French government warned that it would not accept further lifting of sanctions on Syria if violations continued.

March 13: Canada eased its sanctions on Syria and condemned the "atrocities" committed against civilians.

March 13: The interim government approved a constitutional declaration, valid for five years, and formed a National Security Council headed by al-Sharaa.

March 17: Damascus and Beirut agreed to a ceasefire after border clashes.

March 25: Israeli incursion near Daraa and shelling of the Syrian military bases of Palmyra and T4.

March 29: Ahmed al-Sharaa announced the formation of a new government.

March 31: Twelve civilians, mostly Alawites, were killed in the Homs and Tartus regions.

April 1: An agreement was signed between the General Council of the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods and the Syrian Interim Government.

April 3: Israel carried out new airstrikes targeting the Kisweh area in the Damascus countryside.

April 4: Amnesty International called on the government to "ensure accountability for those responsible for mass killings in the coastal areas."

April 12: During his meeting with al-Sharaa, Erdoğan accused Israel of "seeking to undermine the revolution in Syria."

April 22: Two prominent leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement were arrested.

April 25: At least 11 Alawite civilians were killed in central Syria during raids carried out by forces of the Syrian Interim Government.

April 30: Sectarian clashes erupted in the Druze Ashrafieh Sahnaya neighborhood near Damascus and subsided in Jaramana.

 April 30: The Israeli army launched an airstrike on the outskirts of Damascus, which Netanyahu described as a "warning operation."

May 1: Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri called for urgent and direct international intervention to protect civilians in Syria.

May 2: Israel announced it had bombed an area near the presidential palace in Damascus and pledged to protect the Druze.

May 3: The Israeli army announced its deployment in southern Syria to prevent "hostile forces" from entering Druze areas.

May 7: Ahmed al-Sharaa, speaking from Paris, called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria.

May 9: An Alawite student was kidnapped from Homs and then suddenly reappeared "married and wearing a niqab."

May 14: Donald Trump met with Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and invited him to join the Abraham Accords with Israel.

May 28: Israel announced the recovery of the "official Syrian archive" belonging to the spy Eli Cohen.

May 19: A car bomb exploded near a police station in the city of Mayadin in eastern Syria, killing several people.

May 20: The US Secretary of State warned that the Syrian transitional authority could be weeks away from a potential collapse and a full-blown civil war.

May 21: A humanitarian aid convoy arrived in the Syrian coastal region from areas under the control of the Autonomous Administration.

May 29: The European Union imposed sanctions on Abu Amsha and Boulad for the massacres in the Syrian coastal region.

June 10: New regulations were imposed requiring "more modest" clothing at beaches and swimming pools.

June 22: A suicide attack targeted the Mar Elias Church in the Douilaa district of Damascus.

June 25: Ansar al-Sunna Brigades claimed responsibility for the church bombing in Damascus, and Patriarch Yazigi criticized the Sharaa government.

July 7: Catastrophic fires consumed thousands of hectares in Latakia.

July 9: A meeting took place between the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces and Ahmed al-Sharaa, attended by US envoy Tom Barrack.

July 14: Dozens were killed in clashes in Swedia between local Druze groups and Bedouin tribes who, along with the Syrian National Transitional Council forces, attacked Swedia and its surrounding countryside.

July 14: The Israeli army attacked several tanks and asserted that it would not allow any military threat in southern Syria.

 July 16: Israeli airstrikes targeted the General Staff headquarters in Damascus.

July 19: The United States announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Damascus in southern Syria.

July 19: 1,200 people were killed in violence perpetrated by the Syrian Interim Government against residents of Swedia. The Interim Government announced an "immediate" ceasefire.

July 26: Talks between Syrian and Israeli officials took place in Paris, mediated by the United States.

July 31: al-Shaibani confirmed an agreement with Moscow to review previous agreements.

August 8: A conference of Syrian factions was held in Hasakah.

August 9: The Syrian Interim Government disrupted dialogue with North and East Syria by refusing to participate in the Paris talks.

August 14: The United Nations stated that the violence witnessed on the Syrian coast "may amount to war crimes."

August 29: Alawite families were forcibly displaced from the al-Sumariya neighborhood of Damascus, and evacuation orders were issued.

 September 3: Amnesty International: Syrian government forces and affiliated militias executed 46 Druze in Swedia.

September 11: Following a visit by the Syrian Air Force commander to Turkey, Israeli airstrikes targeted Homs, Latakia, and Palmyra.

September 12: Ankara announced the start of training for the Syrian Interim Government forces.

September 13: Ahmed al-Sharaa announced the start of negotiations with Israel to reach a security agreement.

September 20: Seven civilians were killed in the village of Umm al-Tinah in the Deir Hafer countryside as a result of shelling by the Syrian Interim Government forces.

September 21: Ahmed al-Sharaa participated in the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York.

October 5: The Syrian Interim Government formed its first parliament amid criticism of the appointment process.

October 6: Factions operating under the umbrella of the Syrian Interim Government attacked the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods.

October 7: The Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian Interim Government agreed to a ceasefire after a meeting in Damascus.

October 15: Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Putin and emphasized his country's intention to redefine relations with Moscow.

October 23: Syrian authorities reached a ceasefire agreement with French jihadists following clashes in Idlib.

November 5: Widespread public anger erupted after electricity tariffs were raised.

November 6: The UN Security Council lifted sanctions on Ahmed al-Sharaa and his interior minister, pressured by the United States.

November 10: Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Trump at the White House and signed a "political cooperation" agreement with the international coalition.

November 19: Netanyahu inspected Israeli forces stationed in southern Syria, prompting condemnation from Damascus.

November 23: Violence targeted Alawites in Homs, where young men from Bedouin tribes vandalized homes, cars, and shops.

November 25: Thousands of demonstrators in the coastal region denounced the attacks targeting Alawites.

November 28: An Israeli attack targeted the Beit Jinn area in the Damascus countryside.

December 13: A suicide attack targeted an American patrol in the Palmyra region of Syria.

ANHA