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{{Infobox country|name=Syrian Arab Republic|leader_name4=Najah al-Attar|currency=Syrian pound|population_estimate_year=2023|population_estimate=22,933,531|motto=وَحْدَةٌ ، حُرِّيَّةٌ ، اِشْتِرَاكِيَّةٌ|englishmotto="Unity, Freedom, Socialism"|image_map=Syria map.svg|map_width=260|official_languages=Arabic|leader_name5=Hammouda Sabbagh|leader_title5=Speaker of the People's Council|leader_title4=Vice President|leader_name3=Farouk al-Sharaa|native_name=ٱلْجُمْهُورِيَّةُ ٱلْعَرَبِيَّةُ ٱلسُّورِيَّةُ|image_flag=Flag of Syria.svg|leader_title3=Vice President|leader_name2=Hussein Arnous|leader_title2=Prime Minister|leader_name1=[[Bashar al-Assad]]|leader_title1=President|largest_city=Damascus|image_coat=Syria COA.svg|capital=Damascus|area_km2=185,180}}
{{Infobox country|name=Syrian Arab Republic|leader_name4=Najah al-Attar|currency=Syrian pound|population_estimate_year=2023|population_estimate=22,933,531|image_map=Syria map.svg|map_width=260|official_languages=Arabic|leader_name5=Hammouda Sabbagh|leader_title5=Speaker of the People's Council|leader_title4=Vice President|leader_name3=Farouk al-Sharaa|native_name=ٱلْجُمْهُورِيَّةُ ٱلْعَرَبِيَّةُ ٱلسُّورِيَّةُ|image_flag=Flag of Syria.svg|leader_title3=Vice President|leader_name2=Hussein Arnous|leader_title2=Prime Minister|leader_name1=Bashar al-Assad|leader_title1=President|largest_city=Damascus|image_coat=Syria COA.svg|capital=Damascus|area_km2=185,180}}


'''Syria''', officially the '''Syrian Arab Republic''', is a country in [[Western Asia]] located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the [[Levant]]. A country of fertile plains, high mountains, and deserts, Syria is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups. [[Arabs]] are the largest ethnic group with [[Kurds]] being the largest minority, and [[Islam|Sunnis]] are the largest religious group with Shias and [[Christianity|Christians]] being a minority.
'''Syria''', officially the '''Syrian Arab Republic''', is a country in [[Western Asia]]. A country of fertile plains, high mountains, and deserts, Syria is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups. Arabs are the largest ethnic group, and Sunnis are the largest religious group.


Syria is a unitary republic consisting of 14 governorates (subdivisions) and is the only country that politically espouses [[Ba'athism]], with [[Republic of Iraq|Iraq]]'s pre-[[Iraq War|intervention]] government having also been guided by the Ba'ath [[Socialism|socialist]] ideology. It is a member of one international organization other than the [[United Nations]], the [[Anti-imperialism|anti-imperialist]] [[Non-Aligned Movement]].
Syria is a unitary republic consisting of 14 governorates and is the only country that politically espouses [[Ba'athism]], with Iraq's pre-intervention government having also been guided by the Ba'ath socialist ideology. It is a member of one international organization other than the [[United Nations]], the [[Anti-imperialism|anti-imperialist]] [[Non-Aligned Movement]].


The modern Syrian state was established in the mid-20th century after centuries of [[Ottoman Syria|Ottoman]] rule, and after a brief period as a [[French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon|French mandate]], the newly created state represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]]-ruled [[Ottoman Syria|Syrian provinces]].
The modern Syrian state was established in the mid-20th century after centuries of [[Ottoman Syria|Ottoman]] rule, and after a brief period as a [[French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon|French mandate]], the newly created state represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]]-ruled [[Ottoman Syria|Syrian provinces]].
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===Syrian Civil War===
===Syrian Civil War===
Starting in 2011 as part of the Western-supported [[Arab Spring]], Syria descended into civil war as foreign powers began supporting proxy forces to overthrow the [[Bashar al-Assad|Assad]] government.  
Following the Western-supported [[Arab Spring]], Syria descended into chaos as foreign powers began supporting proxy forces to overthrow the Assad government. The [[United States of America|U.S.]] has supported Islamic jihadists in their [[Operation Timber Sycamore]], not unlike [[Operation Cyclone]] in Afghanistan.<ref>{{Web citation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/world/middleeast/us-relies-heavily-on-saudi-money-to-support-syrian-rebels.html |date=2016-01-26|title=U.S. Relies Heavily on Saudi Money to Support Syrian Rebels|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208111529/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/world/middleeast/us-relies-heavily-on-saudi-money-to-support-syrian-rebels.html|archive-date=2023-02-08|author=Mark Mazzetti, Matt Apuzzo}}</ref> They have also killed at least 500 Syrian civilians in airstrikes throughout the war, including 30 when a school was bombed, and used chemical weapons such as white phosphorus As of 2021, the military situation is favorable to the Syrian government, which has retaken most territory thanks to the legal assistance of the [[Russian Federation|Russian]] Air Force as well as assistance from Syria's ally, the [[Islamic Republic of Iran]].<ref>{{Web citation |url=https://the-levant.com/russian-air-force-takes-rebels-syria/ |date=2020-11-21|title=Russian air force takes on rebels in Syria|newspaper=The Levant|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018064708/https://the-levant.com/russian-air-force-takes-rebels-syria/|archive-date=2021-10-18}}</ref>
 
Two years into the war, on 21, August, 2013, a chemical weapon (Sarin gas) was alleged to have been utilized by the Syrian government against rebels at Ghouta, Syria. The allegations were first made by Prince Bandar bin Sultan the then head of [[Kingdom of Saudi Arabia|Saudi Arabian]] Intelligence Service<ref>{{Web citation|author=David Usborne|newspaper=The Independent|title=Syria, the Saudi connection: The Prince with close ties to Washington at the heart of the push for war|date=2013-8-27|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-the-saudi-connection-the-prince-with-close-ties-to-washington-at-the-heart-of-the-push-for-war-8785049.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902085302/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-the-saudi-connection-the-prince-with-close-ties-to-washington-at-the-heart-of-the-push-for-war-8785049.html|archive-date=2013-08-29|retrieved=2024-02-21|quote=It was Prince Bandar’s intelligence agency that first alerted Western allies to the alleged use of sarin gas by the Syrian regime in February.}}</ref> and earlier involved with both the [[Contras]] and the [[Mujahideen]]<ref name=":1">{{Web citation|author=Adam Entous, Nour Malas and  and Margaret Coker|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|title=A Veteran Saudi Power Player Works To Build Support to Topple Assad|date=2013-08-25|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323423804579024452583045962|retrieved=2024-02-21|quote=Some officials said they fear it carries the same risk of spinning out of control as an earlier project in which Prince Bandar was involved—the 1980s CIA program of secretly financing the Contras in Nicaragua against a leftist government.
 
A generation ago, Prince Bandar, in a role foreshadowing his current one on behalf of Syrian opposition, helped the CIA arm the Afghan rebels who were resisting occupation by Soviet troops.
 
...
 
As part of that, intelligence agents from Saudi Arabia, the U.S., Jordan and other allied states are working at a secret joint operations center in Jordan to train and arm handpicked Syrian rebels, according to current and former U.S. and Middle Eastern officials.
 
The CIA has put unspecified limits on its arming efforts. But the agency has been helping train rebels to better fight. Earlier this year it also began making salary payments to members of the Western-backed Free Syrian Army, U.S. and Arab officials said. There are now more CIA personnel at the Jordan base than Saudi personnel, according to Arab diplomats.
...
 
The Saudis stepped up rebel support in early 2012, at first by joining forces with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to fund what was then the main opposition group, the Syrian National Council. Saudi Arabia quickly soured on the effort because the Council wasn't buying arms with the money, diplomats said, and began to push for directly arming the insurgents. It also began to work with Qatar through a command center in Turkey to buy and distribute arms.
 
But tensions grew over which rebels to supply. Both Saudi and American officials worried Qatar and Turkey were directing weapons to the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood. Qatari and Turkish officials denied they favored certain rebel groups.}}</ref>, but interviews with people at Ghouta revealed that Saudi Intelligence and Prince Bandar had been responsible for providing the chemical weapons to the rebels. With the rebels allegedly not even aware that they were in possession of chemical weapons and their improper handling leading to the detonation of the Sarin gas.<ref>{{Web citation|author=Dale Gavlak and Yahya Ababneh|newspaper=Mint Press News|title=EXCLUSIVE: Syrians In Ghouta Claim Saudi-Supplied Rebels Behind Chemical Attack|date=2013-08-29|url=https://www.mintpressnews.com/syria-ghouta-claim-saudi-supplied-rebels-chemical-attack/168135/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207212634/https://www.mintpressnews.com/syria-ghouta-claim-saudi-supplied-rebels-chemical-attack/168135/|archive-date=2020-02-07|retrieved=2024-02-21|quote=“They didn’t tell us what these arms were or how to use them,” complained a female fighter named ‘K.’ “We didn’t know they were chemical weapons. We never imagined they were chemical weapons.”
 
“When Saudi Prince Bandar gives such weapons to people, he must give them to those who know how to handle and use them,” she warned. She, like other Syrians, do not want to use their full names for fear of retribution.
 
“We were very curious about these arms. And unfortunately, some of the fighters handled the weapons improperly and set off the explosions,” ‘J’ said.}}</ref> 
 
Saudi Arabia and Prince Bandar trained Reactionary militias and insurgents in Syria's neighbor Jordan but their initiative was swiftly supplemented by the U.S who began to make payments to the anti-Assad forces<ref name=":1" />. In addition to Saudi Arabia; Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey were also responsible for training insurgents and terrorists, with there being a competition between them to establish leadership over the anti-government forces.<ref name=":1" />
 
The [[United States of America|U.S.]] has supported Islamic jihadists in their [[Operation Timber Sycamore]], not unlike [[Operation Cyclone]] in [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan|Afghanistan]].<ref>{{Web citation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/world/middleeast/us-relies-heavily-on-saudi-money-to-support-syrian-rebels.html |date=2016-01-26|title=U.S. Relies Heavily on Saudi Money to Support Syrian Rebels|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208111529/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/world/middleeast/us-relies-heavily-on-saudi-money-to-support-syrian-rebels.html|archive-date=2023-02-08|author=Mark Mazzetti, Matt Apuzzo}}</ref> They have also killed at least 500 Syrian civilians in airstrikes throughout the war, including 30 when a school was bombed, and used chemical weapons such as white phosphorus As of 2021, the military situation is favorable to the Syrian government, which has retaken most territory thanks to the legal assistance of the [[Russian Federation|Russian]] Air Force as well as assistance from Syria's ally, the [[Islamic Republic of Iran]].<ref>{{Web citation |url=https://the-levant.com/russian-air-force-takes-rebels-syria/ |date=2020-11-21|title=Russian air force takes on rebels in Syria|newspaper=The Levant|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018064708/https://the-levant.com/russian-air-force-takes-rebels-syria/|archive-date=2021-10-18}}</ref>


On 3 February 2022, U.S. forces killed 4 women and 6 children during a raid in Idlib province.<ref>{{Web citation |author=Martin Chulov, Julian Borger|date=2022-02-04|title=Islamic State leader killed during raid by US special forces in Syria|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/03/us-special-forces-kill-suspected-jihadists-in-north-west-syria-raid|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|retrieved=2022-03-11}}</ref>
On 3 February 2022, U.S. forces killed 4 women and 6 children during a raid in Idlib province.<ref>{{Web citation |author=Martin Chulov, Julian Borger|date=2022-02-04|title=Islamic State leader killed during raid by US special forces in Syria|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/03/us-special-forces-kill-suspected-jihadists-in-north-west-syria-raid|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|retrieved=2022-03-11}}</ref>
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==Foreign relations==
==Foreign relations==
On 29 June 2022, Syria became the second country in the world to recognize the [[Donetsk People's Republic|Donetsk]] and [[Luhansk People's Republic|Luhansk People's Republics]].<ref>{{Web citation |newspaper=[[Reuters]]|title=Syria recognizes independence, sovereignty of Donetsk, Luhansk -state news agency|date=2022-06-29|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-recognizes-independence-sovereignty-donetsk-luhansk-state-news-agency-2022-06-29/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629140520/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-recognizes-independence-sovereignty-donetsk-luhansk-state-news-agency-2022-06-29/|archive-date=2022-06-29|retrieved=2022-06-30}}</ref>
On 29 June 2022, Syria became the second country in the world to recognize the [[Donetsk People's Republic|Donetsk]] and [[Luhansk People's Republic|Luhansk People's Republics]].<ref>{{Web citation |newspaper=[[Reuters]]|title=Syria recognizes independence, sovereignty of Donetsk, Luhansk -state news agency|date=2022-06-29|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-recognizes-independence-sovereignty-donetsk-luhansk-state-news-agency-2022-06-29/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629140520/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-recognizes-independence-sovereignty-donetsk-luhansk-state-news-agency-2022-06-29/|archive-date=2022-06-29|retrieved=2022-06-30}}</ref>
On 7 May 2023, at the meeting of the Council of the [[Arab League]] in Cairo, it was agreed to reinstate Syria's membership,<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Alarabiya|title=Arab foreign ministers agree to readmit Syria to the Arab League|date=2023-5-7|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/05/07/Arab-foreign-ministers-to-discuss-Syria-s-return-to-Arab-League-Sudan-conflict}}</ref> after being suspended on 16 November 2011 in the aftermath of the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Aljazeera|title=Arab League decides to suspend Syria|date=2011-11-13|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2011/11/13/arab-league-decides-to-suspend-syria}}</ref>


===Sanctions===
===Sanctions===
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Syria currently suffers from heavy sanctions enforced by the United States and [[European Union]].<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=U.S. Department of the Treasury|title=Syria Sanctions|url=https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/syria-sanctions|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208015349/https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/syria-sanctions|archive-date=2023-02-08|retrieved=2023-02-13}}</ref><ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=EUR-Lex|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/search.html?scope=EURLEX&text=Syria+sanctions&lang=en&type=quick|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213022058/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/search.html?text=Syria+sanctions&lang=en&type=quick&qid=1676254858199&scope=EURLEX|archive-date=2023-02-13|retrieved=2023-02-13}}</ref>
Syria currently suffers from heavy sanctions enforced by the United States and [[European Union]].<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=U.S. Department of the Treasury|title=Syria Sanctions|url=https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/syria-sanctions|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208015349/https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/syria-sanctions|archive-date=2023-02-08|retrieved=2023-02-13}}</ref><ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=EUR-Lex|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/search.html?scope=EURLEX&text=Syria+sanctions&lang=en&type=quick|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213022058/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/search.html?text=Syria+sanctions&lang=en&type=quick&qid=1676254858199&scope=EURLEX|archive-date=2023-02-13|retrieved=2023-02-13}}</ref>


During the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake, Syria was unable to receive direct aid due to sanctions imposed upon the country.<ref>{{Web citation|author=Aaron Maté|newspaper=[[Twitter]]|date=2023-02-08|url=https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1623000443335979009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208170406/https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1623000443335979009|archive-date=2023-02-08|retrieved=2023-02-09|quote=The New York Times makes it plain: “Syria is not able to receive direct aid from many countries because of sanctions.”  
During the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake, Syria was unable to recieve direct aid due to sanctions imposed upon the country.<ref>{{Web citation|author=Aaron Maté|newspaper=[[Twitter]]|date=2023-02-08|url=https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1623000443335979009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208170406/https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1623000443335979009|archive-date=2023-02-08|retrieved=2023-02-09|quote=The New York Times makes it plain: “Syria is not able to receive direct aid from many countries because of sanctions.”  


So — unless you’re a monstrous sadist — why not lift the sanctions?}}</ref> With the only U.N. approved entry into Syria from Turkey – generally used to provide aid to government opposition groups – being destroyed, the three other unapproved crossings remained empty of humanitarian convoys.<ref name=":0" /> Despite these adversities Iran was able to supply Syria with 70 tons of food, tents and medicine.<ref name=":0" />
So — unless you’re a monstrous sadist — why not lift the sanctions?}}</ref> With the only U.N. approved entry into Syria from Turkey – generally used to provide aid to government opposition groups – being destoryed, the three other unapproved crossings remained empty of humanitarian convoys.<ref name=":0" /> Depite these adversities Iran was able to supply Syria with 70 tons of food, tents and medicine.<ref name=":0" />


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Targets of regime change operations]]
[[Category:Targets of regime change operations]]
[[Category:Countries targeted by imperialist aggression]]
[[Category:Countries targeted by imperialist aggression]]
[[Category:Anti-imperialist states]]
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