The resurgence of fighting in Syria has brought into focus
the role of foreign powers in the country, with many
having deployed troops since 2011.
Who are the foreign armies involved in Syria?
Turkey has deployed troops across northwestern Syria in support of
the 2011 rebel uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.
Turkey wants to weaken Syrian Kurdish armed groups, which carved
out autonomous enclaves along the Turkish border during the civil
war.
Ankara views the groups as an extension of the Kurdish
Workers Party, which it deems a terrorist group and has
been waging an insurgency in Turkey since 1984.
It also wants a return home for some 3,000,000 Syrians
who have fled to Turkey during the war.
Turkey has mounted multiple operations in Syria involving thousands of
troops since 2016.
Iran deployed its Revolutionary Guards to Syria as early as
2012 to help Assad.
Lebanon's Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, played a big
part.
For Iran.
Assad is a crucial ally, part of its axis of
resistance to Israel and US influence in the Middle East.
Other Tehran backed Shiite Islamist groups from Afghanistan and Iraq
have also played a vital combat role.
Iran's presence in Syria has been a big point of
concern for Israel, prompting it to carry out frequent air
strikes.
Russian forces have had a presence militarily in Syria since
the Cold War, but intervened on Assad's side in 2015.
Coordinating with Iran.
They operated from an air base in Latakia province, with
Russian air power decisively tilting the conflict Assad's way.
On the ground, Russian troops are involved in government held
areas, with military police deployed during attempts to de escalate
fighting.
U.S.
military intervention in Syria began in 2014 against the Islamic
State jihadist group that had declared its rule over 1/3
of Syria and Iraq.
Working with the Syrian Democratic Forces, they fought to drive
Islamic State from areas it had captured in Syria's north
and east, declaring the battle with Islamic State almost won.
President Donald Trump announced in 2018 he wanted to pull
out U.S.
troops, but the plan was softened after facing criticism for
leaving a void that Iran and Russia would fill around
9000.
U.S.
troops remain in Syria to support the SDF.
Assad's government views the US forces as occupiers.