The following is a timeline of the Syrian civil war for 2022. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found in Casualties of the Syrian civil war.
January
On 1 January, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a monitor based in the United Kingdom, reported that its activists had documented several Russian and government airstrikes in Northwest Syria. They said three civilians were killed in a Russian airstrike on a building north of Jisr al-Shughur, west of Idlib in Northwestern Syria, in an area controlled by rebels, as part of the on-going Russian involvement in the Syrian civil war, and that the Al-Fath Al-Mubin rebel faction counterattacked with rocket fire on government positions in Jorin area of Hama countryside and around Maarat al-Numan in the southern Idlib countryside.
On the same day in territories controlled by the government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Northeastern Syria, according to SOHR, at least 10 Russian airstrikes targeted positions of Islamic State (ISIL) cells in the Al-Rusafa desert, north-east of Raqqa. A Syrian government military convoy comprising at least 100 soldiers of the Liwa al-Quds militia and the Syrian Army's 5th Corps, reportedly under orders from Russia and accompanied by Russian helicopters, arrived in Palmyra from Deir ez-Zor with tanks and armored vehicles to combat ISIS cells in the Palmyra desert. SOHR said these operations were part of a new Russian large-scale military campaign to respond to increased ISIL activity.
On 2 January, as part of this increased ISIL activity in Northeast Syria, five Syrian government soldiers were killed and 20 others were injured after ISIL operatives launched a rocket and artillery attack on a government military vehicle in the eastern part of the Syrian Desert.
Also on 2 January, according to SOHR, Turkish forces shelled Fatima village in the Ain Issa countryside in the Tell Abyad District of Raqqa Governorate, an area controlled by the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), injuring an SDF fighter who died three days later.
On 4 January, according to SOHR, a commander of Ahrar al-Sham and his nephew were killed on a bridge near Jindires in the Afrin District of the Aleppo Governorate in Northwestern Syria, in territory controlled by the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), by other Ahrar al-Sham members after their car was stopped at a checkpoint, which led to a gunfight between the militants.
On 5 January, as part of an uptick in the on-going 2019-2022 Persian Gulf crisis, the U.S "Green Village" military base, near the town of Mayadin in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate was attacked by Iranian-backed militias, who fired eight rockets at the military base (which houses SDF and Coalition fighters), causing minor damage. Several suspected launch sites were destroyed by U.S forces shortly after the attack. The attack came shortly after the 2nd anniversary of the U.S assassination of an Iranian General in 2020.
The same day, continuing on-going Israeli airstrikes on Iranian and government targets in Southern Syria, Israeli tanks fired at Syrian army positions in the town of Quneitra near the Golan Heights, in the Daraa Governorate, setting fire to a building.
On the same day, as part of the upsurge since 2019 of the on-going Daraa insurgency in Southern Syria, a Syrian soldier of the 4th Division, a member of a "reconciled" rebel militia (i.e. an opposition fighting group absorbed into the government forces) accused of drug trafficking, was shot dead by gunmen in the village of Saham al-Jawlan in the western Daraa countryside, according to SOHR.
On 6 January, in the continuing Russian-ISIL conflict in Northeastern Syria, SOHR reported that three Syrian soldiers were killed and 2 others were wounded in an ISIS ambush in the Al-Rusafa desert northeast of Raqqa city. In response, the Russian airforce launched several airstrikes on ISIS positions, causing an unknown number of casualties.
On 8 January, three Turkish soldiers were killed after an IED was detonated under their vehicle on the Syrian-Turkish border near the town of Tell Abyad in Raqqa Governorate. Turkish officials announced the IED was "planted by terrorists", likely referring to Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG) forces.
On 10 January, as the Daraa insurgency intensified, SOHR reported that two soldiers of the Syrian Army's Military Security were shot dead by gunmen in the outskirts of Al-Sanamayn city, in Daraa Governorate in southern Syria. On the same day in the Northeast, ISIL claimed to have abducted and then executed a "spy" who was working with SDF forces in the town of Hajin.
On 11 January, two civilians were executed by Islamist rebels Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the town of Kafrsajna in Maarrat al-Nu'man District, Idlib, in a part of Northwestern Syria controlled by the HTS-dominated Syrian Salvation Government, after reportedly confessing to collaborating with Syrian government forces. On the same day in Northeastern Syria, ISIL operatives assassinated a doctor in the town of for allegedly working with Kurdish forces.
On 12 January, ISIL militants, under cover of foggy weather, launched a minor offensive on Syrian army positions in the town of Al-Kashma, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, killing three Syrian soldiers and wounding seven others.
On 13 January, Anwar Raslan, a government intelligence officer, was found guilty by a German court after a 108 day trial to have overseen the murder of at least 27 people, torture of at least 4,000, two cases of rape and various other crimes at the Branch 251 prison in Damascus. He was tried under the legal principle of universal jurisdiction and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Also on 13 January, SOHR reported that ISIL operatives attacked positions of pro-government militias in the desert near the city of Abu Kamal, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, killing five National Defence Forces (NDF) militiamen and wounding 14 others. Eleven ISIL militants were reportedly also killed in government and Russian airstrikes on ISIL positions in the Syrian desert.
On the same day, an SNA fighter was killed in a car bomb explosion in the SNA-controlled city of Azaz in Aleppo, northwestern Syria. A suicide bombing also took place in the city of Afrin near a opposition military base, wounding several people. Three Syrian government soldiers were killed by opposition forces during an infiltration attempt on the rebel-held village of Sfuhen, Idlib, according to SOHR.
On 16 January, according to SOHR, 20 ex-ISIL families, totalling 217 people, were repatriated out of the Al-Hawl camp to several villages in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate in Northeastern Syria.
On the same day, according to SOHR, a military commander of the Syrian 4th Armoured Division was killed in an IED blast in Daraa city, as part of the on-going insurrection.
On 17 January, the SOHR reported that forces of the SDF and US-led Coalition raided an ISIL hideout in the Hawy Al-Hawayej area in the eastern Deir ez-zor countryside, killing an ISIL commander and confiscating weapons.
On 18 January in Northeastern Syria, Russian jets launched a series of airstrikes on ISIL positions in the eastern Homs desert, Maadan desert in the Raqqah countryside, and Deir Ezzor desert, killing several ISIL fighters and destroying several vehicles, according to SOHR. On 19 January, SOHR reported that eight ISIL operatives were killed in a series of Russian airstrikes on IS-held caves and hideouts in the Deir Ez-zor and Al-Raqqa deserts.
On 19 January, the trial of Alaa Mousa began in Germany. He is a Syrian medical doctor accused of torturing detainees for the government in Syria.
On 20 January, SOHR reported a civilian killed after SDF forces launched a rocket attack on the SNA-held village of Maryamayn, in the Afrin countryside. Rockets were also fired from Kurdish-held territories targeting the SNA-held city of Afrin, reportedly killing three civilians and wounding 15 others. A Turkish drone targeted SDF forces in AANES-controlled Tell Jemaah killing an SDF fighter and wounding 2 others.
Later that day, as part of ISIL resurgence on the Syria/Iraq border, the 3rd Battle of al-Hasakah began, after ISIS forces launched a large-scale attack aimed at freeing incarcerated ISIL fighters from a Gweiran prison, also known as al-Sinaa prison, in the city of Al-Hasakah. The siege lasted six days. Australian teenager Yusuf Zahab was among those killed.
On 21 January, SOHR reported that two fighters of the Tell Tamer Military Council (which is allied to AANES and the SDF) were killed after a Turkish drone strike on their positions on a road near Twina village north of Al-Hasakah city.
On 22 January, two fighters of the SNA were killed in an infiltration attempt on the SDF-controlled Al-Mushayrifah and Jahbal villages near the town of Ayn Issa. On the same day, SOHR reported, Russian or Syrian warplanes killed 73 civilians in a series of airstrikes on the settlements of Khisham, Tabiyah, Jazirah and Al-Bulil, in opposition-controlled parts of Deir Ezzor.
On 24 January, according to SOHR, two Iranian-backed militiamen were killed in a landmine explosion near the town of Nebl in the northern Aleppo countryside.
On 26 January, the SOHR reported that a commander of HTS was blown up and killed whilst attempting to plant a landmine on the frontlines near the town of Darat Izza. On the same day, IS claimed responsibility for abducting and beheading an SDF fighter south of Raqqa city.
On 27 January, forces of the Jordanian army uncovered a drug-smuggling operation from Syria to Jordan, started after a Jordanian army officer was killed by drug smugglers from Syria earlier in January. Clashes broke out between the drug smugglers and the Jordanian army after the operation was thwarted. 27 drug smugglers were killed by the Jordanian army.
On 28 January, SOHR reported that two fighters of the pro-Assad Al-Qatarji militia were found dead along the bank of the Euphrates River after being killed by unknown gunmen in al-Bolil village, where they were stationed.
On 29 January, unknown gunmen, suspected to by ISIL operatives, killed four Syrian government soldiers as they slept at their outpost in the settlement of Bakras Tahtani in the Deir ez-Zor countryside. This was after a similar attack was carried out in neighbouring Iraq.
On 30 January, as tensions were growing between SNA factions in Northwestern Syria, SOHR reported that a commander of the Turkish-backed Al-Hamza Division was shot dead by unknown gunmen in the city of Al-Bab.
During the early hours of 31 January, Israeli warplanes carried out several airstrikes against alleged Hezbollah targets near the Syrian capital, Damascus, causing material damage only.
On 31 January, the SDF said that the Gweiran prison overrun by ISIL was now fully back under its control.
February
On 1 February, three fighters of the Liwa al-Quds militia were killed and two others were wounded after ISIL militants attacked their positions in the al-Masrib desert in the western Deir ez-Zor countryside. The wounded fighters were taken to a Syrian military hospital in Deir ez-Zor city for treatment. On the same day, a reconciled rebel was shot dead by unknown gunmen in the town of Muzayrib, Daraa.
On 2 February, SOHR reported that a Turkish drone bombed a power station in the city of Al-Malikiyah killing 4 people. On the same day, 8 civilians were killed and 29 others were wounded after several rockets were fired targeting the Turkish-held city of al-Bab. Later in the day, a Turkish soldier was killed after SDF forces fired artillery at Turkish army positions on the Syrian-Turkish border. Furthermore, 3 Syrian soldiers were killed after Turkish forces bombarded several Syrian army positions on the western Aleppo frontline.