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Gallery|Syria's War

Photos: Thousands in Idlib mark 12 years since Syria uprising

People gather in Idlib city to commemorate the 12th anniversary of protests against Bashar al-Assad’s rule.

Syria Anniversary
Protesters in Idlib said they are "continuing the revolution against the al-Assad regime". [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
By Ali Haj Suleiman and Husam Hezaber
Published On 15 Mar 202315 Mar 2023
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Idlib, Syria – Thousands of people in opposition-held northwestern Syria have taken to the streets to mark the 12th anniversary of popular protests calling for the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad and his government.

The demonstrations that began on March 15, 2011 swiftly took on a revolutionary nature. The uprising, however, soon morphed into a full-on war after a violent crackdown by security forces, with foreign powers also drawn in.

Twelve years on, al-Assad still controls most of the country, largely thanks to military backing from Iran and Russia, after hundreds of thousands of people were killed and millions were forced from their homes.

The conflict is currently largely frozen, although fighting continues intermittently, particularly in the opposition-held northwest. The region is home to more than four million people, most of them displaced from other parts of Syria during previous bouts of violence. Last month, it was hit by devastating earthquakes that killed thousands of people.

“We want to send a message from this demonstration to the whole world that we are continuing our revolution against the al-Assad regime, despite the attempts of some countries to normalise relations ” Salma Seif, a former detainee in a government prison, said at Wednesday’s main protest in Idlib city.

Seif’s comments echoed the views of other demonstrators denounced efforts by some Arab countries to facilitate Syria’s reintegration into the regional diplomatic fold in the wake of the February 6 earthquakes.

“We have no alternative to overthrowing this regime so that the detainees in its prisons can see the light again,” said Seif, a displaced person from the capital, Damascus.

Hundreds of civilians from towns and villages surrounding Idlib travelled to the city to take part in the demonstration.

Ahmed Hayhan said he had come from Jisr al-Shughour with others “to confirm that we are continuing against the regime that brought other war criminals to Syria to contribute to our killing”.

Hayhan called on the international community to hold al-Assad accountable for the bloodshed.

“The world must take responsibility after all this destruction and killing that took place because of the criminal Bashar al-Assad.”

Syria Anniversary
Salma Seif and her children at the demonstration in Idlib. "The damage caused by the earthquake is less than one percent of the destruction caused by the al-Assad regime, Russia and Iran," Seif said. [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
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Syria Anniversary
People travelled from nearby towns and villages to attend the main demonstration in Idlib. [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
Syria Anniversary
Syrians prepare flags in Binnish, east of Idlib, for Wednesday's rally. [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
Syria Anniversary
Abu Suhaib al-Hamwi, a displaced civilian who was among those leading the anti-government demonstrations in the city of Hama in 2011, said: "Despite all that we have witnessed in terms of killing, arrest, displacement and destruction, we are still continuing our revolution against this criminal regime and to affirm our demands for freedom and justice." [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
Syria Anniversary
Ahmad Hayhan holds a sign in a demonstration in Idlib city that reads: "Important warning: To those who want to rehabilitate the al-Assad regime, we inform you that it is a corrupt and expired regime, and that waste cannot be recycled again." [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
Syria Anniversary
Experts say many regional governments see last month’s earthquake disaster as a reason to deepen engagement with al-Assad. [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
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Syria Anniversary
A painter works on a mural in Binnish in preparation for the 12th anniversary. [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
Syria Anniversary
On March 15, 2011, protesters in Deraa, Damascus and Aleppo began demanding democratic reforms and the release of political prisoners. A violent crackdown and repression by the government followed. [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
Syria Anniversary
The demonstrations were sparked by the arrest and torture of a group of teenage boys a few days earlier in Deraa over graffiti denouncing al-Assad. Here, a mural in Idlib commemorates the 12th anniversary of the popular uprising. [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
Journalist Fadi Al-khatib holds a photo of family members who died in the February 6 earthquakes. [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]
Syria Anniversary
Demonstrators urged the international community to hold al-Assad accountable for the bloodshed over the past 12 years. [Ali Haj Suleiman/Al Jazeera]


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