▁Dam asc us . ▁The ▁French ▁sent enced ▁al - A tr ash ▁and ▁other ▁national ▁leaders ▁to ▁death , ▁but ▁al - A tr ash ▁escaped ▁with ▁the ▁reb els ▁to ▁Trans j ord an ▁and ▁was ▁eventually ▁p ardon ed , ▁returning ▁after ▁the ▁signing ▁of ▁the ▁Franco - S y rian ▁Tre aty , ▁met ▁with ▁a ▁huge ▁public ▁reception . ▁ ▁Independ ence ▁ ▁Although ▁Sy ria ▁and ▁France ▁had ▁previously ▁negoti ated ▁a ▁treat y ▁of ▁independence ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁the ▁treat y ▁never ▁came ▁into ▁force ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Legisl ature ' s ▁ref us al ▁to ▁rat ify ▁it . ▁Following ▁the ▁Fall ▁of ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁Sy ria ▁came ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁V ich y ▁France ▁until ▁the ▁British ▁and ▁Free ▁French ▁occupied ▁the ▁country ▁in ▁the ▁Sy ria - L eb anon ▁campaign . ▁Press ured ▁from ▁Sy rian ▁national ists ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁forces , ▁France ▁ev acu ated ▁their ▁troops ▁in ▁ 1 7 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁which ▁marked ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁new , ▁independent ▁Sy rian ▁republic . ▁ ▁Post - Ind ep end ence ▁ ▁Franco - S y rian ▁relations ▁remained ▁well ▁following ▁the ▁independence , ▁marked ▁with ▁a ▁historical ▁background ▁and ▁shared ▁cultural ▁relations . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁following ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Sy rian ▁President ▁Ha fe z ▁al - Ass