Syria's war in seven maps
Partial rebel control
Former rebel control
Rebel controlled
Aleppo
Areas of armed activity
Idlib
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Hama
Qamishli
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
March 2012 After the uprising of March 2011, the principal zones of armed resistance are in western Syria and centred on cities such as Hama, Idlib and Rastan. An army rout of rebel positions in Homs is the first mass urban devastation of the war. Scores of civilians were dying every day at this point.
Partial rebel control
Former rebel control
Rebel controlled
Deraa
Aleppo
Areas of armed activity
Idlib
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Hama
Qamishli
Houla
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
July 2012 By summer 2012, the Free Syrian Army claims it has control of 40% of Syria. It controls Deir el-Zou in the east and numerous smaller towns such as Houla and Rastan in the west. The death toll nationwide is now close to 20,000.
Assad government
Kurdish militias
Free Syrian Army & allies
Deraa
Aleppo
Areas of armed activity
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Hasakah
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
December 2012 Kurdish fighters begin to make headway in the north-east, while a regime fightback seizes control of Idlib and smaller outlying towns. Government forces also take the fight to the opposition in Homs, Aleppo and Deraa, which begin to fracture along shifting frontlines.
Assad government
Kurdish militias
Anti-Assad rebel groups
Aleppo
Areas of armed activity
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Qusair
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Tartus
Hasakah
Deir el-Zour
Syria
June 2013 The map looks little changed, but an important regime victory in Qusair, where government troops are backed by the Hezbollah militia from Lebanon, enables it to join up northern coastal strongholds with the capital and to surround Homs, which starts to look vulnerable. Death toll estimated at about 100,000.
Assad government
Isis & Al-Nusra
Kurdish Militias
FSA/mixed rebel groups
Aleppo
Contested area
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Tartus
Hasakah
Deir el-Zour
Syria
December 2013 The fracture of the opposition into moderates and Islamists complicates the picture, with the two factions now fighting each other as well as Assad's forces. Islamists take Raqqa in the north-east, which becomes the de facto HQ of a new movement known as Daesh, or Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis).
Assad government
FSA/other rebel groups
Islamic State
Unclear control
Kurdish YPG
Deraa
Deir el-Zour
Hasakah
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Tartus
Aleppo
Syria
August 2014 Government forces make advances north, leaving the al-Qaida-aligned Islamists of Jabhat al-Nusra penned in, along with the diminished fighters of the secular opposition, who still retain a foothold in the south. Isis captures an airbase in the east and consolidates its 'caliphate' after lightning advances through Iraq in the summer.
Assad government
Anti-Assad rebels
Islamic State
Unclear control
Kurdish YPG
Kobani
Deir el-Zour
Hasakah
Syria
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Tartus
Aleppo
January 2015 Weakened by US air strikes, Isis finally gives up its assault on Kurdish-held Kobani in the north after an epic siege, prompting speculation that it might prove vulnerable to a ground offensive. Assad's forces continue to hold all major urban centres with the exception of Aleppo, which remains divided almost four years after the uprising began.
Former rebel control
Rebel controlled
Partial rebel control
Aleppo
Latakia
Tartus
Areas of armed activity
Idlib
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Hama
Qamishli
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
March 2012 After the uprising of March 2011, the principal zones of armed resistance are in western Syria and centred on cities such as Hama, Idlib and Rastan. An army rout of rebel positions in Homs is the first mass urban devastation of the war. Scores of civilians were dying every day at this point.
Former rebel control
Rebel controlled
Partial rebel control
Aleppo
Latakia
Tartus
Areas of armed activity
Idlib
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Houla
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
July 2012 By summer 2012, the Free Syrian Army claims it has control of 40% of Syria. It controls Deir el-Zou in the east and numerous smaller towns such as Houla and Rastan in the west. The death toll nationwide is now close to 20,000.
Kurdish militias
Free Syrian Army & allies
Assad government
Aleppo
Latakia
Tartus
Areas of armed activity
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Hasakah
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
December 2012 Kurdish fighters begin to make headway in the north-east, while a regime fightback seizes control of Idlib and smaller outlying towns. Government forces also take the fight to the opposition in Homs, Aleppo and Deraa, which begin to fracture along shifting frontlines.
Kurdish militias
Anti-Assad rebel groups
Assad government
Areas of armed activity
Aleppo
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Qusair
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Latakia
Tartus
Hasakah
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
June 2013 The map looks little changed, but an important regime victory in Qusair, where government troops are backed by the Hezbollah militia from Lebanon, enables it to join up northern coastal strongholds with the capital and to surround Homs, which starts to look vulnerable. Death toll estimated at about 100,000.
Assad government
Isis & Al-Nusra Front rebels
FSA/mixed rebel groups
Kurdish Militias
Contested area
Aleppo
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Latakia
Tartus
Hasakah
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
December 2013 The fracture of the opposition into moderates and Islamists complicates the picture, with the two factions now fighting each other as well as Assad's forces. Islamists take Raqqa in the north-east, which becomes the de facto HQ of a new movement known as Daesh, or Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis).
Unclear control
Assad government
FSA/other rebel groups
Kurdish YPG
Islamic State
Deir el-Zour
Hasakah
Raqqa
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Latakia
Tartus
Aleppo
Syria
August 2014 Government forces make advances north, leaving the al-Qaida-aligned Islamists of Jabhat al-Nusra penned in, along with the diminished fighters of the secular opposition, who still retain a foothold in the south. Isis captures an airbase in the east and consolidates its 'caliphate' after lightning advances through Iraq in the summer.
Unclear control
Assad government
Anti-Assad rebels
Kurdish YPG
Islamic State
Hasakah
Raqqa
Kobani
Lebanon
Turkey
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Latakia
Tartus
Aleppo
Deir el-Zour
Syria
January 2015 Weakened by US air strikes, Isis finally gives up its assault on Kurdish-held Kobani in the north after an epic siege, prompting speculation that it might prove vulnerable to a ground offensive. Assad's forces continue to hold all major urban centres with the exception of Aleppo, which remains divided almost four years after the uprising began.
Former rebel control
Partial rebel control
Rebel controlled
Turkey
Areas of armed activity
Aleppo
Latakia
Tartus
Idlib
Lebanon
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
March 2012 After the uprising of March 2011, the principal zones of armed resistance are in western Syria and centred on cities such as Hama, Idlib and Rastan. An army rout of rebel positions in Homs is the first mass urban devastation of the war. Scores of civilians were dying every day at this point.
Damascus
Homs
Hama
Qamishli
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
Former rebel control
Partial rebel control
Rebel controlled
Turkey
Areas of armed activity
Aleppo
Latakia
Tartus
Idlib
Lebanon
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
July 2012 By summer 2012, the Free Syrian Army claims it has control of 40% of Syria. It controls Deir el-Zou in the east and numerous smaller towns such as Houla and Rastan in the west. The death toll nationwide is now close to 20,000.
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Houla
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
Kurdish militias
Assad government
Free Syrian Army & allies
Turkey
Areas of armed activity
Aleppo
Latakia
Tartus
Lebanon
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
December 2012 Kurdish fighters begin to make headway in the north-east, while a regime fightback seizes control of Idlib and smaller outlying towns. Government forces also take the fight to the opposition in Homs, Aleppo and Deraa, which begin to fracture along shifting frontlines.
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Hasakah
Hasakah
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
Kurdish militias
Assad government
Anti-Assad rebel groups
Turkey
Aleppo
Areas of armed activity
Lebanon
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
June 2013 The map looks little changed, but an important regime victory in Qusair, where government troops are backed by the Hezbollah militia from Lebanon, enables it to join up northern coastal strongholds with the capital and to surround Homs, which starts to look vulnerable. Death toll estimated at about 100,000.
Damascus
Qusair
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Latakia
Tartus
Hasakah
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
Kurdish Militias
Isis & Al-Nusra Front rebels
Assad government
FSA/mixed rebel groups
Turkey
Contested area
Aleppo
Lebanon
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
December 2013 The fracture of the opposition into moderates and Islamists complicates the picture, with the two factions now fighting each other as well as Assad's forces. Islamists take Raqqa in the north-east, which becomes the de facto HQ of a new movement known as Daesh, or Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis).
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Latakia
Tartus
Hasakah
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
Unclear control
Kurdish YPG
Islamic State
Assad government
FSA/other rebel groups
Turkey
Lebanon
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
August 2014 Government forces make advances north, leaving the al-Qaida-aligned Islamists of Jabhat al-Nusra penned in, along with the diminished fighters of the secular opposition, who still retain a foothold in the south. Isis captures an airbase in the east and consolidates its 'caliphate' after lightning advances through Iraq in the summer.
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Latakia
Tartus
Aleppo
Hasakah
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
Kurdish YPG
Islamic State
Unclear control
Assad government
Anti-Assad rebels
Turkey
Kobani
Lebanon
Iraq
Jordan
50 miles
January 2015 Weakened by US air strikes, Isis finally gives up its assault on Kurdish-held Kobani in the north after an epic siege, prompting speculation that it might prove vulnerable to a ground offensive. Assad's forces continue to hold all major urban centres with the exception of Aleppo, which remains divided almost four years after the uprising began.
Damascus
Homs
Deraa
Hama
Qamishli
Idlib
Latakia
Tartus
Aleppo
Hasakah
Raqqa
Deir el-Zour
Syria
Source: Political Geography Now