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To provide a clearer picture of Syria’s complex and fragmented conflict, it is crucial to understand the territorial control among the key players on the ground.
Four primary factions dominate different areas of the country, each backed by varying external powers and ideologies.
The Syrian government forces, marked in red on many conflict maps, represent the Assad regime’s primary military apparatus.
These forces are supported by the National Defense Forces, a pro-government paramilitary group.
The Assad regime also benefits from the significant backing of Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, whose combined efforts have fortified and sustained its control over large swathes of territory, particularly in central and western Syria.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), represented in yellow, consist largely of Kurdish fighters.
This group, backed by the United States, controls much of eastern Syria, including areas rich in oil reserves.
The SDF has played a critical role in the fight against ISIS and continues to manage regions under its control with the support of its international allies.
HTS
and other allied rebel factions, shown in green, operate primarily in the northwest.
HTS, an evolution of the al-Nusra Front, previously aligned with al-Qaeda until severing ties in 2016, remains a dominant force in this region.
Despite internal divisions, H T S maintains significant influence over the territories it controls.
In the north, Turkish-backed rebel forces, including the Syrian National Army, hold ground along the Turkish border.
Turkey has supported these groups as part of its broader strategy to counter Kurdish influence and establish a buffer zone.
These areas, often marked in different shades of green, reflect Turkey’s active involvement in the Syrian conflict.
Meanwhile, patches of ISIS-dominated territory still persist in some isolated desert regions, a stark reminder that the group’s threat has not been entirely eradicated.
Finally, in the south, additional rebel groups maintain a presence, and the Golan Heights adds a further layer of complexity.
Israel claims sovereignty over this territory, citing its capture during the 1967 Six-Day War, while Arab nations and the broader international community often regard it as occupied territory.
Understanding these dynamics is key to grasping the intricacies of Syria’s civil war.
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