In Syriaʼs complex military landscape foreign armies keep reshaping the countrys power-balance (a situation thats been going on since the early-2010s)
Turkey maintains strong presence in north-western Syria working with anti-government rebels. Its main focus: pushing back Kurdish groups that Turkey sees as terrorists; plus finding ways to send-back millions of Syrian refugees. Over the past eight-ish years Turkey has done four big military moves:
- First one hit both ISIS and Kurdish YPG
- Then came the Idlib region deal with Russia-Iran
- Later they went after Afrin area
- Lastly a big push between Ras al Ain and Tel Abyad
Russia jumped in to help Assad about nine years ago – its biggest Middle-East move since Soviet times. From their Latakia air-base Russians really changed things up for Assad; they still keep military-police in government areas
Iran sent its Revolutionary Guards way back (like twelve years ago) and got Hezbollah involved too. For Iran its all about keeping their friend-zone from Iran to Lebanon intact; they work through Iraq and Syria. Recently Abbas Araqchi mentioned theyd send more help if Syria asks
The US got involved fighting ISIS around ten years ago – they worked with Kurdish-led SDF. Even though there was talk about leaving six years ago they stayed put: now theres like 900 troops mostly in north-east Syria. Theyʼve got this base called Tanf near Jordan-Iraq border too