Damascus

The evacuation of four besieged Syrian towns resumed on April 19, with tight security in place for those leaving government-held areas after a weekend bombing against evacuees killed dozens including nearly 70 children.

Syrian government forces on Feb. 20 escalated their bombing campaign around Damascus, raining shells down on rebel territory and sending out a "bloody message" just days before renewed peace talks in Geneva.  

About 10 Syrian rebel groups announced Jan. 2 they were suspending talks about planned peace negotiations this month in the Kazakh capital Astana, due to "violations" by Damascus of a four-day old truce.

Syria's military said it shot down an Israeli warplane and a drone early on Sept. 13 in response to an attack on Syrian army positions -- a claim denied by Israel.

The number of Syrians living below the poverty line has almost tripled after five years of conflict, according to a report published this week.

Around 83.4 percent of Syrians live below the poverty line compared with 28 percent in 2010, the report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the University of St. Andrews said.

Air raids by Syrian government warplanes killed 28 civilians, including 10 children, near Damascus on Dec. 24, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.

Russia said Oct. 15 its warplanes had eased back on air strikes in Syria as regime forces press a widening ground offensive, while President Vladimir Putin criticised Washington for not cooperating over the conflict.

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadists seized control of a key town in the central Syrian province of Homs overnight after heavy clashes with forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, a monitor said on August 6. 
 

Eighty-three percent of all the lights in Syria have gone out since the start of the conflict four years ago, a research report based on satellite images said on March 12.
   

At least 45 people were killed in Syrian government air strikes on opposition areas around Damascus Feb. 5 after rebels fired dozens of mortar rounds at the capital, a monitor said.
      
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least six children were among those killed in nearly 40 air raids on parts of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province.