What was the Arab Spring? A timeline of events from Syria and Egypt to Tunisia and Yemen

IN late 2010 a sequence of events began in the Arab world which saw autocratic and corrupt regimes overthrown.

The uprisings became known as the Arab Spring and saw a frustrated generation vent their anger on their leaders. Here’s what you need to know about the events that still shape our world.

Tunisia

It is widely accepted that the events of the Arab Spring began in December 19, 2010 when a Tunisian named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire.

The unemployed 26-year-old had reached the end of his tether after being banned from selling fruit to earn living in the town of Sidi Bouzid.

Around 300 people were killed during the subsequent unrest, which forced Zine al-Abidine Ben Al Ben Ali to resign in January 2011, after 23 years in power, and go into exile in Saudi Arabia.

He was later sentenced to life in prison in absentia.

In October 2011, Tunisia held its first democratic parliamentary elections.

Egypt

The next significant protests came in Egypt when hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in the Tahrir Square in the centre of the capital Cairo.

They demanded the end of the 30 year autocratic rule of President Hosni Mubarak, and ally of the West whose regime was blamed for high levels of poverty, corruption and unemployment.

It was the first popular uprising in which social media played a role in allowing people to by-pass the tightly controlled official news outlets to share information.

About 850 people were killed during the 18-day uprising in January and February.

Mubarak eventually stood down at the end of February and power was transferred to the military,

Parliamentary elections in 2011-12 saw overwhelming victories for the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and Salafist al-Nour party.

In June 2012, the Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi was elected president though he was himself deposed the next year.

General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi remains the country’s leader after winning the 2014 presidential election.

Libya

As the wave of protests began to spread, Libyans in the eastern city of Benghazi rose up after security forces opened fire at a protest.

Other anti-government demonstrations then erupted in other towns before eventually reaching Tripoli.

They swiftly evolved into an armed revolt seeking to topple to Muammar Gaddafi, whose forces managed to push the rebels back.

In March 2011, the UN Security Council authorised "all necessary measures" to protect civilians.

Nato powers then launched air strikes on government targets, ostensibly aimed at imposing a no-fly zone.

With military help from the West and several Arab states, rebel forces took Tripoli after six months of fighting in which several thousand people were killed.

After four decades in power, Gaddafi went on the run and was captured and killed outside Sirte in August 2011.

Yemen

The country’s Ali Abdullah Saleh was the fourth Arab leader to be forced from office, after 33 years in power.

Demonstrations began in January 2011 and Saleh promised not to seek re-election but a crackdown by security forces left up to 2000 dead.

In June 2011, he was seriously injured in a bombing and travelled abroad for medical treatment, returning in September before eventually handing over power in November.

The country is currently gripped by a civil war in which Houthi rebels - backed by Iran - are fighting the central government, which is supported by Saudi Arabia.

Syria

Demonstrators demanding greater freedom and an end to corruption took to the streets of the southern city of Deraa in March 2011.

By July, hundreds of thousands of people across the country were attending protests demanding President Bashar al-Assad's resignation.

Despite the security forces' concerted and ruthless efforts to crush the uprising it continued unabated.

The opposition then began to take up arms, first to defend themselves and then to oust forces loyal to the regime from their areas.
What had begun as a peaceful demonstration against the government soon became an brutal civil war which the Assad regime has used chemical weapons.

Bahrain

Thousands of demonstrators from majority Shia Muslim community began protesting about what they saw as discrimination by the Sunni royal family.

King Hamad declared a state of emergency in March 2011 and brought in troops from neighbouring Sunni-led Gulf states to restore order and crush dissent.

The unrest left at least 30 civilians and five policemen dead while almost 3,000 people were also arrested, and scores were handed long prison terms by military courts.

Elsewhere

In Saudi Arabia small numbers of demonstrators called for reform which prompted the government to pay additional benefits worth around £112 billion to citizens.

Protests in Morocco prompted the King to quickly offer "comprehensive constitutional reform" and relinquish many of his powers.