Twelve years on from the beginning of Syria’s war

While the front lines in Syria are often quiet, death and destruction are never too far away [File: Bekir Kasim/Anadolu Agency]

Twelve years ago, protesters dared to take to the streets of Syria to protest against the country’s government and its president, Bashar al-Assad.

The protests quickly took on a revolutionary nature, demanding the “fall of the regime”, but, after a violent response from the government, the uprising transformed into a war, dragging in several outside powers, displacing millions and killing hundreds of thousands.