Who Is Fighting Whom in Syria?

POLITICS

After years of civil war, Syria is now a country that lies in ruins. Thousands of people have died, millions have fled. With no end of the war in sight, groups continue to battle for control over large parts of the country. The Syrian government, ISIL, Kurdish factions, and several other rebel groups are still fighting for some of the most important parts of the country. (New York Times and Al Jazeera)

Navigate the international response with our 1-Page Map of Syria and today’s MapMaker Interactive map.

Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers’ Toolkit, including a link to today’s MapMaker Interactive map.

This great map from Al Jazeera and the Institute for the Study of War outlines battle fronts in the ongoing Syrian Civil War.Map courtesy Al Jazeera and the Institute for the Study of War — This is a great military map from Al Jazeera and the Institute for the Study of War. For a more detailed and up-to-date look at the geography of war in Syria, check out the fascinating map here.
Map courtesy Al Jazeera and the Institute for the Study of War

Click on each of the countries or regions highlighted in today’s MapMaker Interactive map to see how they support different factions in Syria. A key player not represented on the map is the Arab League, which as supported opposition forces in Syria. (Some members of the Arab League, such as Algeria and Saudi Arabia, are represented on today’s map.) See a map of the Arab League here. — Click on each of the countries or regions highlighted in today’s MapMaker Interactive map to see how they support different factions in Syria. A key player not represented on the map is the Arab League. (Some members of the Arab League, such as Algeria and Saudi Arabia, are represented on today’s map.) See a map of the Arab League here.

Discussion Ideas

Who are the belligerents in the Syrian Civil War?
- Government. According to the CIA World Factbook, Syria is a “republic under an authoritarian regime.” The Ba’ath Party has been in power since 1963. President Bashar al-Assad has led the country since 2000; he was preceded by his father, who had led the country since 1971.
  - Iran, Russia, Iraq, North Korea, and the Lebanese political party Hezbollah are leading supporters of the Assad government.
- Rebels. The Syrian Revolutionary Command Council is a loose alliance of more than 70 wildly diverse groups opposing the Assad government. Some rebel groups, such as the Free Syrian Army, are primarily concerned with toppling the Assad regime. Others, such as the al-Nusra Front, are more strongly affiliated with Islamist ideologies.
  - The United States, Turkey, Western European nations such as France and the United Kingdom, and the Arab League support different rebel factions.
- Kurds. Rojava is a region of northeastern Syria that has declared independence as a Kurdish autonomous region. The Kurds are an ethnic group with communities stretching through Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. Many Kurdish leaders support a more autonomous or even independent region of Kurdistan.
  - Syrian Kurds are supported by outlaw Kurdish political and military groups, as well as Western aid agencies.
- ISIS. (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (also known as Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL); Islamic State; Daesh; and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham)) ISIS is an international terrorist organization with a stated aim to establish a new caliphate with a Syrian capital.
  - ISIS is an enormous international organization with a powerful reach. It has a strong presence stretching throughout North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and ties to the Boko Haram terrorist group active in West Africa and the Abu Sayyaf terrorist organization in the Philippines. ISIS has successfully recruited young men and women from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
  - A powerful, U.S.-led coalition, Operation Inherent Resolve, has been tasked with defeating ISIS in Syria and beyond.

The short, clear New York Times article outlines foreign support for most leading belligerents in the Syrian Civil War. Which major players did they leave out? Why?
- The NYT article did not mention specific support for the Kurds or ISIS. Neither Kurdistan or ISIS is recognized as a state, and official states have not supported either group at the expense of others.
  - Kurdish groups are often mentioned as part of the broad rebel opposition, tacitly supported by some foreign alliances (Operation Inherent Resolve) and opposed by others (Turkey).
  - Islamic State is officially opposed by all foreign governments.