Syria’s new power struggle? Why Turkey-backed Syrian National Army is at odds with US ally Syrian Democratic Forces
1 week, 3 days ago

Syria’s new power struggle? Why Turkey-backed Syrian National Army is at odds with US ally Syrian Democratic Forces

Firstpost  

The Syrian conflict has entered a new phase as the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army escalates its offensive against the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces. While the SNA seeks to establish control in northern Syria, the SDF faces mounting pressure despite its pivotal role in defeating ISIS People chant in celebration while holding flags adopted by the Syrian new rulers after their fighters ousted President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Syria, December 12, 2024. Central to the evolving situation are the tensions between the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and the US-aligned Syrian Democratic Forces. On the other hand, the SNA, backed by Turkish forces, has been actively advancing into northern Syria to establish a “safe zone” — an area free of Kurdish influence that also serves Turkey’s strategic interests.

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History of this topic

Syrian Democratic Forces: Rebels with a cause
2 days ago

Syrian Democratic Forces: Rebels with a cause

The Hindu  

When civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, one of the first things Bashar al-Assad’s regime did was to pull back troops from the country’s north-east so that they could defend the heartland against militias. This gave an opportunity to Syria’s Kurds, the country’s largest ethnic minority who make up some 10% of its population, to establish a de …

Amid Turkey's offensive, Iraqis & Syrian Kurds fear Islamic State's attempts to free thousands of prisoners
6 days, 8 hours ago

Amid Turkey's offensive, Iraqis & Syrian Kurds fear Islamic State's attempts to free thousands of prisoners

Firstpost  

As Kurdish forces are stretched thin in the wake of a Turkey-led offensive, Iraqi and Kurdish officials are concerned that the Islamic State may attempt to free thousands of terrorists held in Kurdish jails in Syria The Islamic State is likely to take advantage of the spiralling conflict in Syria and free thousands of its terrorists held in numerous prisoners, …

US-backed Kurdish forces report ceasefire failure in northen Syria
Top News
6 days, 20 hours ago

US-backed Kurdish forces report ceasefire failure in northen Syria

China Daily  

DAMASCUS -- US-led mediation efforts have failed to establish a lasting ceasefire in northern Syria's Manbij and Kobani regions, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Monday. In a statement from its media center, the SDF accused Türkiye and allied militias of rejecting key provisions in a proposed agreement, including the transfer of remaining Manbij Military Council fighters and civilians …

US-backed Kurdish forces report ceasefire failure in northen Syria
Top News
6 days, 20 hours ago

US-backed Kurdish forces report ceasefire failure in northen Syria

China Daily  

DAMASCUS -- US-led mediation efforts have failed to establish a lasting ceasefire in northern Syria's Manbij and Kobani regions, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Monday. In a statement from its media center, the SDF accused Türkiye and allied militias of rejecting key provisions in a proposed agreement, including the transfer of remaining Manbij Military Council fighters and civilians …

Syria won't become flourishing democracy overnight, but it won't join the league of failed states either
1 week, 2 days ago

Syria won't become flourishing democracy overnight, but it won't join the league of failed states either

Firstpost  

Seeing the checks and balances of the various interest groups within and outside Syria, it can be concluded that these forces would not allow Syria to drift into the crisis in which Iraq was post-2003, and Libya drifted and never recovered after the forcible removal of Muammar Gaddafi’s rule in 2011 The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and …

Why the Kurdish Question Remains West Asia’s Litmus Test to Embrace Diversity in the Region
1 week, 3 days ago

Why the Kurdish Question Remains West Asia’s Litmus Test to Embrace Diversity in the Region

The Hindu  

Published : Dec 13, 2024 15:50 IST - 8 MINS READ With the fall of Damascus, the spotlight has shifted to north-eastern Syria, a region bordering Iran, Türkiye, and Iraq. The Syrian conflict, far from being a binary contest between Bashar al-Assad’s regime and Arab opposition forces like the Syrian National Army, has also involved Kurdish groups seeking autonomy amid …

Syria in a map: Who controls what now that Assad is gone?
1 week, 3 days ago

Syria in a map: Who controls what now that Assad is gone?

ABC  

Whenever a leader is overthrown, a power vacuum is created that can be exploited by self-seeking actors. SNA forces, which are backed by neighbouring country Türkiye, have an interest in creating a buffer zone near the Turkish border to keep Syria's Kurdish forces away from it. This last Kurdish group is known as Syria's Democratic Forces and it controls large …

Syria's never-ending conflict: Nation already faces a NEW civil war as ISIS carry out fresh massacres and Turkish-backed fighters clash with Kurds, threatening to drag in US and Israel
1 week, 4 days ago

Syria's never-ending conflict: Nation already faces a NEW civil war as ISIS carry out fresh massacres and Turkish-backed fighters clash with Kurds, threatening to drag in US and Israel

Daily Mail  

Islamist rebel group Ha'yat Tahrir al-Sham officially ended Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's longstanding regime earlier this week, naming a leader of a new transition government days after Assad fled Damascus to seek refuge in Moscow. Destroyed trucks after a Turkish airstrike near Qamishli, northeast of Syria on 11 December 2024 Israeli troops move within the buffer zone between Israel and …

As rebels marched against Assad, Turkey opened new front against US-backed Kurds in Syria
Trending News
2 weeks ago

As rebels marched against Assad, Turkey opened new front against US-backed Kurds in Syria

Firstpost  

Even as Syrian opposition forces were marching against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, Turkey and a militia it sponsors opened a new front against US-backed Kurds in Syria over the weekend The photograph shows US-backed Kurdish military personnel of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria's Raqqa in 2017. Even as Syrian opposition forces pushed against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, Turkey opened …

These Syrian rebel forces played key role in Bashar al-Assad's ouster
2 weeks, 1 day ago

These Syrian rebel forces played key role in Bashar al-Assad's ouster

Hindustan Times  

The Syrian Islamist rebels who ousted President Bashar al-Assad and seized the capital, Damascus, include fighters from different factions. The main rebel groups are Hayat Tahrir al-Sham The most powerful among rebel groups in Syria that spearheaded the advance against Assad starting Nov 27. Syrian National Army Turkey sent troops into Syria in 2016 to fight what it claimed as …

Syria Crisis: Why Damascus faces new threats after prolonged stalemate? | EXPLAINED
2 weeks, 2 days ago

Syria Crisis: Why Damascus faces new threats after prolonged stalemate? | EXPLAINED

India TV News  

After quite a period of stagnancy, the civil war in Syria has erupted once again, and this time the rebels have thundered a sudden blitzkrieg infighting on the President Bashar al-Assad regime, taking direct aim at the core of his rule, the capital, Damascus itself. By pushing for the recapture of territory, the rebels could then use this leverage to …

How global powerplay and terrorism have rekindled Syrian conflict
Trending News
2 weeks, 3 days ago

How global powerplay and terrorism have rekindled Syrian conflict

Firstpost  

West Asia is never quiet. As if the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon are not enough, let alone the simmering ones in Libya, Yemen, and Sudan, the past week’s conflagration in Syria has yet again proved that the causes of conflict must also be definitively addressed, especially when a highly complex situation is allowed to take deeper, divisive roots …

Syrian rebel offensive bolsters Turkey’s geopolitical influence
Trending News
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Syrian rebel offensive bolsters Turkey’s geopolitical influence

Live Mint  

A rapid advance by Syrian rebels in recent days is giving the NATO member Turkey more power to limit Russian and Iranian influence in the region, but also risks triggering new instability on Ankara’s doorstep. The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now in a stronger position to put pressure on Kurdish militias it opposes in Syria, some …

Syrian rebels are closing in on Assad. What does it mean?
Trending News
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Syrian rebels are closing in on Assad. What does it mean?

Slate  

The resumption of large-scale fighting in Syria’s civil war affirms, once more, the wisdom of the Irish poet William Butler Yeats, who wrote that when “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, / The blood-dimmed tide is loosed.” In Syria’s case, the region’s security arrangements fell apart, the delicate balance of power …

Key players in Syria’s long-running civil war, reignited by a shock rebel offensive
2 weeks, 5 days ago

Key players in Syria’s long-running civil war, reignited by a shock rebel offensive

Deccan Chronicle  

Beirut: Syria’s long civil war has reclaimed global attention after insurgents seized most of its largest city and dozens of nearby towns and villages. Here’s a look at the key players: Syrian pro-government forces, backed by Russia and Iran Syrian government troops have long controlled a large part of the country, thanks to allied forces dispatched by Russia and Iran. …

Syria civil war explained: From pro-govt forces to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham — All about key players
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Syria civil war explained: From pro-govt forces to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham — All about key players

Live Mint  

Syria civil war: The Syrian civil war, which started in 2011, recently grabbed headlines again after rebel forces managed to seize the country's largest city, Aleppo and a dozen other neighbouring towns and villages, according to a report by the AP. We take a look at the key players involved: Assad's pro-government forces backed by Iran and Russia The Assad …

Syria war live tracker: Maps and charts
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Syria war live tracker: Maps and charts

Al Jazeera  

Here’s what the situation on the ground looks like as of December 8, 2024. On November 27, groups opposing the government of al-Assad, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, launched a surprise offensive that captured large parts of Aleppo, the country’s second largest city. They are: Syrian government forces: The army, the government’s main military force, fights alongside the National Defence …

Key players in Syria’s long-running civil war, reignited by a shock rebel offensive
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Key players in Syria’s long-running civil war, reignited by a shock rebel offensive

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — Syria’s long civil war has reclaimed global attention after insurgents seized most of its largest city and dozens of nearby towns and villages. Here’s a look at the key players: Syrian pro-government forces, backed by Russia and Iran Syrian government troops have long controlled a large part of the country, thanks to allied forces dispatched by Russia and …

What is Russia’s role in Syrian civil war? Why is Turkey backing rebels?
Trending News
3 weeks ago

What is Russia’s role in Syrian civil war? Why is Turkey backing rebels?

Firstpost  

Russia has conducted major air strikes on rebels in Syria after insurgents led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group swept into Aleppo in what is the biggest challenge to its ally President Bashar al-Assad in years. The Syrian military command said militants had attacked in large numbers and from multiple directions, prompting “our armed forces to carry out a …

How Al Qaeda-linked group’s fresh surge in Syria will embolden global jihad
3 weeks ago

How Al Qaeda-linked group’s fresh surge in Syria will embolden global jihad

Firstpost  

Bashar al-Assad is a dictator who did not even shy away from using chemical weapons on his people; however, the choice is between a Syria led by Assad or one ruled by Al Qaeda-linked Islamists No sooner than Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a highly fragile ceasefire, large-scale violence erupted in Syria with the onslaught of the Islamist group Hayat …

Mapping who controls what in Syria
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Mapping who controls what in Syria

Al Jazeera  

Opposition forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seize control of large parts of Aleppo, one of Syria’s largest cities. On November 27, Syrian opposition fighters, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, launched a surprise offensive that captured large parts of Aleppo, the country’s second largest city. Syrian government forces had controlled Aleppo since 2016 with support from Iran, Russia and the …

Kurdish leader in Syria calls for diplomatic solutions to conflict with Turkey
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Kurdish leader in Syria calls for diplomatic solutions to conflict with Turkey

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Signals of a slow return to peace in Syria
1 year, 11 months ago

Signals of a slow return to peace in Syria

The Hindu  

As Syria enters the 13th year of its lethal civil conflict, a bomb explosion in Istanbul on November 13, that killed six persons, seems to have accelerated a diplomatic process which could bring peace to that tormented land. Turkish authorities immediately blamed Kurdish militants in Syria, represented by the People’s Protection Units, for the bombing, and even arrested a Syrian …

Explained: What's at stake in Turkey’s new Syria escalation?
2 years ago

Explained: What's at stake in Turkey’s new Syria escalation?

Firstpost  

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly warned of a new land incursion to drive Kurdish groups away from the Turkish-Syrian border, following a deadly 13 November bombing in Istanbul Beirut: After weeks of deadly Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria, Kurdish forces and international players are trying to gauge whether Ankara’s threats of a ground invasion are serious. Turkish president …

SDF will turn to Assad if Turkey attacks in Syria
2 years, 6 months ago

SDF will turn to Assad if Turkey attacks in Syria

Al Jazeera  

Reports state that Russia and Syrian government forces have bolstered their presence in northern Syria. The United States-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have said that they will turn to the Syrian government for support if Turkey decides to launch a new military operation against them in northern Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said over the past few weeks …

Syria’s war: Ten years – and counting
3 years, 9 months ago

Syria’s war: Ten years – and counting

Al Jazeera  

It has been 10 years since the start of the Syrian uprisings and the country is still mired in a war that has displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands. Approximately 11 million people need humanitarian assistance, about 6 million are internally displaced and 5.5 million Syrian refugees live in neighbouring countries according to the UNHCR. Raqqa Raqqa, situated on …

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