Cedar Revolution

In 2005 mass protests in Lebanon following the assassination of former prime minister Rafic Hariri led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops.

Overview

Syrian forces had been present in Lebanon since the civil war of 1976 and exerted heavy influence over its politics. The killing of Rafic Hariri in a huge bombing in Beirut on 14 February 2005 sparked a wave of demonstrations against Syrian domination. The pro-Syrian government of Omar Karami resigned, and on 14 March around a million people rallied in Martyrs Square. Under international pressure, Syria withdrew its troops by the end of April 2005, ending nearly three decades of military presence. Elections brought an anti-Syrian majority to power. The movement split Lebanese politics into the March 14 and March 8 alliances that dominated the following years.