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 | This article covers a current event. The information presented may become rapidly obsolete as new developments take place. |
| Syrian Civil War | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Arab Spring | |||||||||
.svg.png) Situation as of December 18, 2024 HTS (white), SFA (green), SIG (light green), Rojava (yellow), SOR (pink), Israel (blue) | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Syrian Arab Republic |
Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Syrian Free Army (SFA) Southern Operations Room (SOR) | Syrian Interim Government (SIG) | Rojava | ||||||
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Supported by: Iran Russia |
Supported by: United States NATO |
Supported by: Turkey |
Supported by: United States | ||||||
The Syrian Civil War is an ongoing conflict taking place in Syria as part of the Western backed Arab Spring protests that erupted across the region in 2011. Between 2011 and 2024 the majority of fighting took place between the anti-imperialist Syrian Arab Republic and various Western backed opposition forces until in December 2024 the government fell in a unprecedented offensive led by Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Since the fall of the Assad government on December 8, the civil war has entered a new stage with the terrorist group HTS being recognised as the de facto government of Syria, but fighting has continued and HTS's ally Israel has begun a ground invasion in the south.
Overview[edit | edit source]
2011 protests[edit | edit source]
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 Assad government.
Ghouta chemical attack[edit | edit source]
On 21 August 2013, a chemical weapon detonated in Ghouta and was blamed on Bashar al-Assad, justifying NATO air strikes on Syria. The allegations were first made by Prince Bandar bin Sultan, then head of the Saudi Arabian Intelligence Service, who has previously been involved with both the Contras and the Mujahideen.[1][2] Interviews with people living at the site of the detonation however revealed that Saudi Intelligence, including bin Sultan, had been responsible for providing the chemical weapons to the rebels. Later that year, the rebels explained in an interview that they were not aware they were in possession of chemical weapons and weren't taught how to use them, resulting in the detonation of the Sarin gas by the rebel and Saudi-backed forces.[3]
Stalemate[edit | edit source]
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. 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.[2]
The U.S. has supported Islamic jihadists in their Operation Timber Sycamore, not unlike Operation Cyclone in Afghanistan.[4] 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 was 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.[5]
On 3 February 2022, U.S. forces killed 4 women and 6 children during a raid in Idlib province.[6]
The U.S. continues to occupy the resource-rich area of Northern Syria, to control its hydrocarbons and agricultural output[7][8][9] and has firebombed hundreds of acres of wheat fields. The goal of the US is to prevent the reconstruction of Syria.[10] U.S. and the U.N. prop up opposition forces via the Bab al-Hawa crossing – the only U.N. approved crossing for transporting international aid into Syria. The aid have been described by The New York Times as “…a lifeline for opposition-held areas in the north.”[11]
The U.S. imperialists were using economic warfare to cripple the Syrian economy.[12] These sanctions might be soon circumvented with Syria's admission into China's Belt and Road Initiative.[13][14]
Collapse of the government[edit | edit source]
On 27 November 2024, the Syrian Salvation Government started an offensive towards Damascus and captured Aleppo.[15] Three days later, Hama was captured.[16]
Meanwhile, the Turkish occupation forces as well as the Rojava Government and the US-backed Syrian Free Army also advanced, capturing territories and cities.[17]
On 6 December, a revolt popped up south of Damascus.[18]
On 7 December, Homs was captured.[19]
On the early hours of 8 December, rebel forces entered Damascus and declared the civil war and Assad's rule in Syria as over.[20][21]
By the end of the day, most of the government remnants were captured, with only few Russian air and naval bases still remaining under government control.[citation needed] Sputnik News announced that Assad and his family had safely arrived in Moscow.[22] This marked the end of the Assad Presidency, and the state was swiftly handed over to the rebel coalition.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ “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.”
David Usborne (2013-8-27). "Syria, the Saudi connection: The Prince with close ties to Washington at the heart of the push for war" The Independent. Archived from the original on 2013-08-29. Retrieved 2024-02-21. - ↑ 2.0 2.1 “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.”
Adam Entous, Nour Malas and and Margaret Coker (2013-08-25). "A Veteran Saudi Power Player Works To Build Support to Topple Assad" The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2024-02-21. - ↑ ““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.”
Dale Gavlak and Yahya Ababneh (2013-08-29). "EXCLUSIVE: Syrians In Ghouta Claim Saudi-Supplied Rebels Behind Chemical Attack" Mint Press News. Archived from the original on 2020-02-07. Retrieved 2024-02-21. - ↑ Mark Mazzetti, Matt Apuzzo (2016-01-26). "U.S. Relies Heavily on Saudi Money to Support Syrian Rebels" The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-02-08.
- ↑ "Russian air force takes on rebels in Syria" (2020-11-21). The Levant. Archived from the original on 2021-10-18.
- ↑ Martin Chulov, Julian Borger (2022-02-04). "Islamic State leader killed during raid by US special forces in Syria" The Guardian. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
- ↑ Jimmy Dore. "Biden Caught Lying About Occupying Syria" Rokfin.
- ↑ Aaron Maté (September 7th 2021). "To keep troops in Syria, US leaders are lying like in Afghanistan"
- ↑ "US must stop looting Syria's natural resources, fight terrorists instead, says Lavrov". PressTV.
- ↑ "Long reach of U.S. sanctions hits Syria reconstruction". Reuters.
- ↑ Natasha Frost, Raja Abdulrahim (2023-02-07). "The only border crossing for U.N. aid from Turkey to Syria is hobbled." The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
- ↑ Mimi al-Laham. PressTV.
- ↑ "Syria joins China’s Belt and Road Initiative" (2022-01-12). Al-Monitor.
- ↑ "Syria, China sign MoU in framework of Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative" (2022-01-12).
- ↑ “The latest offensive has been led by an Islamist militant group known at Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions backed by Turkey.”
"Syrian troops withdraw from Aleppo as rebels advance". BBC News. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. - ↑ "Syrian rebels capture second major city as army withdraws from Hama" (5 December 2024).
- ↑ "Following withdrawal of Iranian-backed militias and regime forces; Kurdish forces deploy in Aleppo international airport, Nubl and Al-Zahraa and take control of checkpoints". syriahr.com.
- ↑ Template:Cite Q
- ↑ "Middle East latest: Syria's forces withdraw from Homs, a key link between the capital and coast" (7 December 2024).
- ↑ "Rebels declare end of Assad rule in Syria" (8 December 2024). Al-Monitor.
- ↑ "Syrian rebels enter Damascus: everything we know so far" (8 December 2024).
- ↑ "Syria's Assad Arrives in Moscow With His Family – Kremlin Source" (2024-12-08). Sputnik News.