Syrian Arab Republic (1963–2024)

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 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-imperialist Non-Aligned Movement.

The modern Syrian state was established in the mid-20th century after centuries of Ottoman rule, and after a brief period as a French mandate, the newly created state represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly Ottoman-ruled Syrian provinces.

Syrian Civil War

Following the Western-supported Arab Spring, Syria descended into chaos as foreign powers began supporting proxy forces to overthrow the Assad government. The US has supported islamic jihadists in their operation Timber Sycamore, not unlike Operation Cyclone in Afghanistan. As of 2021, the military sitatuion is favorable to the Syrian government, which has retaken most territory thanks to the legal assistance of the Russian Air Force as well as assistance from Syria's ally, the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The US continues to occupy the resource-rich area of Northern Syria, to control its hydrocarbons and agricultural output.