Syria's Civil War: How a 14-Year-Old Sparked a Revolution That Ended Assad's 53-Year Rule

In 2011, a 14-year-old boy, Mouawiya Syasneh, sparked Syria's civil war with words written on a wall: "Now it's your turn, doctor." He had been writing anti-government slogans against President Bashar al-Assad. This action lit fires in protests across Syria that would be brutally repressed and plunge the nation into long and devastating civil war.

End of Assad's Regime

After 53 years of Assad family rule, the battle has finally come to a turning point. Over the weekend, rebels captured Syria's capital, Damascus. President Bashar al-Assad, who has ruled since 2000, fled the country and is believed to have found his way to Russia.

The Assad Family Legacy

Hafez al-Assad, Bashar's father, had been ruling Syria for 29 years before he died in 2000.
Bashar al-Assad took over and has been ruling with an iron fist for over two decades.
The Assad regime was highly criticized for its authoritarian rule and suppressing dissent.

How the War Unfolded

The uprising in 2011 was originally a peaceful protest against the rule of Assad. The government's violent crackdown on demonstrators escalated the situation into a full-blown civil war. Over the years, the war has brought about:
Massive destruction of cities like Aleppo and Homs.
Over 500,000 deaths and millions of refugees.
Unprecedented international involvement, including the United States, Russia, and regional powers.

The Fall of Damascus

The capture of Damascus by rebel forces marks a historic moment in Syria's history. Before the city fell, Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, marking the end of his rule. The event has brought hope for peace in a country that has been ravaged by war for over a decade.

A 14-Year-Old Who Changed History

Mouawiya Syasneh's act of defiance in 2011 was a defining moment in modern Syrian history. The graffiti by the boy set off a revolution that eventually overthrew a regime that had been in power for more than half a century.