Northern Syria serving as hub of new developments
By Sadeq Dehqan
Staff writer
Following a lightning military operation in Syria and the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s government by the opposition, the Arab country is poised to face new and intense weeks and months ahead. The situation in Syria is such that at any moment, a new event in a corner of this country could upset the power balance to the benefit or detriment of one side, thus affecting the political landscape in the country.
Prior to the overthrow of Assad’s government, a relatively calm situation had prevailed in Syria for several years. The Syrian government, after years of devastating war, managed to end the activities of the Daesh terrorist group in the country with the help of its supporters and resistance forces, gaining control over most areas of Syria, except for parts in the northwest, including Idlib.
Idlib, the last stronghold of the opposition against Assad’s government in Syria, ultimately became the Achilles’ heel of his state. The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), supported by Turkey, has quietly and steadily bolstered its military infrastructure in the region and, through a swift and unexpected military operation, succeeded in setting the stage for the fall of the Damascus government in just two weeks.
After the forces of Muhammad al-Julani took control of Syria, only certain areas in northeastern Syria and east of the Euphrates River, which separate this part from the rest of the country, are currently under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
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