A timeline of Syria's
29-year presence in Lebanon
BEIRUT - A military ceremony in eastern Lebanon on Tuesday
formally marked the end of Syria's 29-year troop presence in its tiny neighbour.
Following is a list of key events during the 29-year presence of Syrian troops in Lebanon,
which reached a high of more than 40,000 before the end of the Lebanese civil war in 1990.1975
April - Clashes, viewed as the start of Lebanon's 15-year-long civil war, erupt in Beirut.
1976
June - Syrian troops enter Lebanon to restore peace but also to curb the Palestinians.
October - A ceasefire is arranged and a predominantly Syrian Arab Deterrent Force
established to maintain it.
1978
March 14 - Israel launches major invasion of Lebanon in reprisal for a Palestinian attack
into its territory.
March 19 - UN Security Council passes Resolution 425 calling on Israel to withdraw from
all Lebanese territory, and establishing the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) to confirm the withdrawal.
June 13 - Israel hands over territory in southern Lebanon to its proxy, a mainly Christian
Lebanese militia, ignoring UNIFIL.
1982
June 6 - After attempted assassination of the Israeli ambassador to Britain, Israel
launches full-scale invasion of Lebanon.
September 15 - Israeli troops occupy West Beirut.
September 16-18 - Phalangist militia slaughter Palestinians in Sabra and Shatila refugee
camps in West Beirut, under eyes of Israeli forces.
September 24 - First US, French and Italian peacekeeping force arrives in
Beirut. 1983
May 17 - Israel and Lebanon sign accord on Israeli withdrawal, establishing a security
region in southern Lebanon.
October 23 - Suicide bombers blow up US peacekeepers' headquarters, killing 241 marines,
and destroy a French post, killing 56 troops.
1985
June - Most Israeli troops withdraw but some remain to support its proxy force -- the
mainly Christian South Lebanon Army (SLA), led by Antoine Lahad.
1986
Lebanon officially cancels May 1983 agreement with Israel.
1988
September - Lebanon has two governments -- one mainly Muslim in West Beirut, and one
Christian, in East Beirut led by Maronite General Michel Aoun.
1989
March 14 - Aoun declares a "war of liberation" against the Syrian presence.
October - Lebanese national assembly, meeting in Taif, Saudi Arabia, endorses a Charter of
National Reconciliation, which leads to the end of the civil war. Taif agreement calls for
a Syrian pullback to the eastern Bekaa Valley, but does not set a date for the full
pullout.
1990
October 13 - Syrian airforces attacks presidential palace and Aoun takes refuge in French
embassy, events regarded as marking the end of the civil war.
1993
July 25 - Israel attempts to end the threat from Hezbollah by launching "Operation
Accountability", the heaviest attack since 1982.
1996
April 11 - Israelis bomb Hezbollah bases in Lebanon in "Operation Grapes of
Wrath".
April 18 - Israeli attack on UN base results in death of over 100 Lebanese refugees.
1998
October 15: General Emile Lahoud, favoured by Syria, is elected president by parliament.
2000
May 24 - After collapse of the South Lebanon Army and rapid advance of Hezbollah forces,
Israel withdraws its troops from Lebanon.
2003
April - Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri forms a new government, regarded as the most
pro-Syrian since Damascus became involved.
2004
September 2: UN Security Council adopts Resolution 1559 calling for the withdrawal of
foreign forces from Lebanon and respect for its sovereignty.
Oct 20 - Hariri resigns in protest at the dominant political role of Damascus in his
country to be replaced by pro-Syrian deputy Omar Karameh six days later.
Dec 13: For the first time since 1975, a united opposition denounces the Syrian presence
and calls for the government to resign.
Dec 18: Syria dismantles its secret service in Lebanon, admitting its presence in the
country for the first time.
2005
Feb 14 - Hariri assassinated in a massive bomb explosion that kills 19 other people.
Feb 24 - Lebanese defence minister says Syria to redeploy troops towards border.
Feb 28 - Karameh government resigns under pressure from opposition.
March 5 - Assad announces that Syria will pull back all its troops in Lebanon to the
border but does not set a timetable for a full withdrawal April 7: Syria begins final
phase of Lebanon pullout, set to be completed by April 30.
April 13: Prime minister-designate Omar Karameh gives up on forming new government.
April 15: Pro-Syrian businessman Nagib Miqati is named prime minister.
April 19: Miqati forms unity government.
April 22: Two top pro-Syrian security chiefs suspected of involvement in Hariri's
assassination offer to step aside during the UN probe into the killing.
April 24: All Syrian troops leave bar token force charged with attending official
farewell.
April 26: A military ceremony is held in Lebanon's Bekaa valley to formally send off the
remaining 300 troops in Syria. |
