Tens of thousands of people were killed as they demonstrated their desire for Bash al-Assad to resign as president of Syria and for political reforms to be enacted. In the months following the start of revolutionary activities tens of thousands of Syrians were killed. The situation worsened and eventually devolved into a massive civil war that continues today.
The answer is D. Bashar al-Assad, as he was responsible for the violent suppression of protests in Syria in 2011, leading to tens of thousands of deaths. His regime faced widespread demonstrations demanding political reform, but violent repression ignited a civil war. The situation reflected the lack of democratic freedoms and sectarian tensions within the country.
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