Syria: an endless war between armed factions and foreign powers

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A complex mosaic of alliances and conflicts: who are the protagonists in the new chapter of the war in Syria?

Syria continues to be the scene of an endless war, where various armed factions fight each other and against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, often with the support of foreign powers. Last week, the focus was on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its leader Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, the protagonists of a recent offensive in north-west Syria. But who are these groups and what are their objectives?

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)

Led by Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, HTS has emerged as one of the main rebel groups in north-west Syria. Born from the ashes of Jabhat al-Nusra, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, HTS aims to establish Islamic dominance in Syria. In recent years, HTS has consolidated its control in the Idlib region, providing services to millions of people through the ‘Syrian Salvation Government’. Although it has officially moved away from its extremist roots, HTS is still considered a terrorist organisation by the US State Department. It controls the Bab al-Hawa crossing, essential for the arrival of humanitarian aid.

Syrian Government Forces

The loyalist troops of Bashar al-Assad, in power since 2000, have withstood numerous overthrow attempts. Since 2011, after the bloody suppression of anti-government protests, the situation has degenerated into a civil war. With the support of Iran, Russia and Hezbollah, Assad has managed to contain rebel forces in north-west Syria. However, the last week has seen armed factions advance on Aleppo, which was recaptured by loyalists in 2016.

Syrian National Army (SNE)

A coalition of Turkish-backed forces, the ENS has been involved in the latest clashes, mainly against Kurdish forces in northern Syria. In the past, it has fought against Assad’s troops and ISIS jihadists. Based along the Turkish-Syrian border, the ENS fighters are mainly Syrian Arabs, many of them former members of the Free Syrian Army. According to the Turkish Anadolu Agency, the ENS recently took control of a military airport in Aleppo.

Kurdish Forces (SDF)

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are a coalition of Kurdish militias in north-eastern Syria, supported by the US in the fight against ISIS. In addition to fighting ISIS, they have faced forces supported by Turkey. Turkey considers the SDF a threat because of its links to the PKK. In the last week, the SDF has stated that it intervened to stop the advance of Turkish-backed forces.

The war in Syria remains a complicated web of alliances and conflicts, with each faction trying to consolidate its power in a country ravaged by conflict for more than a decade.

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