WHO ARE THE FOREIGN POWERS INVOLVED IN SYRIA’S WAR?
The US. The US for years offered covert help to Syrian rebels preventing the Syrian regime with the intention of pressuring Assad right into a political settlement, however it ditched that program in mid-2017.
The American navy instantly attacked the regime not often, in response to its alleged use of chemical weapons.
The US performed a significant function preventing Islamic State. It started an air marketing campaign in opposition to the group in 2014 and despatched in floor troops the subsequent yr to help the Kurdish forces preventing the jihadists.
After Islamic State misplaced the territory it had managed in Syria, the US decreased its presence however it nonetheless maintains a small power there for the aim of combating remnants of the unconventional group.
Türkiye. Türkiye has performed a fancy function within the warfare. A supporter of the Syrian rebels, Türkiye has been part of the US-led coalition in opposition to Islamic State, however it’s repeatedly attacked the bloc’s best floor power, the US-armed YPG.
Türkiye considers the YPG an enemy as a result of it has roots within the Kurdistan Staff’ Social gathering, or PKK, which has battled for an autonomous area inside Türkiye on and off since 1984.
Iran. Iran deployed its elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to Syria to realize its goal of guaranteeing the survival of the Assad regime, its principal ally within the Center East.
The alliance provides Iran a land hall stretching through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon via which it may well extra simply transport arms and tools to its consumer, Hezbollah, the militant Lebanese group.
Hezbollah performed a significant function within the Assad regime’s triumphs and it nonetheless maintains a major presence in Syria, however it has been vastly weakened by greater than a yr of battle with Israel.
Russia. Russia turned the warfare in favour of the Assad regime with a bombing marketing campaign beginning in 2015.
Russia had lengthy maintained its solely navy base exterior the previous Soviet Union at Syria’s Mediterranean port of Tartus and in 2017 made a deal preserving entry to an air base close to Latakia.
Whereas Russia retains important air energy in Syria, its consideration as of late is targeted on its warfare in Ukraine.
