Syria civil war explained: From pro-govt forces to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham — All about key players

Syria civil war: The Syrian civil war, which started in 2011, recently grabbed headlines again after rebel forces managed to seize the country's largest city, Aleppo and a dozen other neighbouring towns and villages, according to a report by the AP.

The surprise advance, which began on November 27, caught the many players in the conflict — the Bashar Assad-led government and five foreign powers, including the United States, Russia and Iran, off-guard, it added. This has also resulted in the biggest clash since a ceasefire in 2020.

What began as an anti-Assad uprising in 2011 has seen rebel forces seize control of over a third of Syria. We take a look at the key players involved:

Assad's pro-government forces backed by Iran and Russia

The Assad government's forces, with help from Iran and Russia, control a large part of war-torn Syria. The alliance holds the major cities, including the capital, Damascus, and the country's biggest population centres, which are in the centre, east, and south, as per the report.

Iran's military advisers and proxy fighters have a “critical role”, but Israel's invasion of Lebanon has weakened the country's other militia support — Hezbollah, besides distracting focus. Iran, on December 2, sent its Iraqi militia bloc to Syria to back Assad's counter-offensive, the report noted.

Russia has held Assad's position near the Mediterranean coast and maintains a Soviet-era naval base and the Hemeimeem airbase from the area. But its attention is also divided due to the country's own invasion of Ukraine.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the terrorist group backed by Turkey

Anti-government rebel forces, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or HTS, is al-Qaida's longest-existing branch in Syria. It is considered a terrorist group by the United Nations and the US among other countries.

Since 2017, HTS has controlled northwest Syria and administered the region. In recent years, its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has sought to remake the group's image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials, and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance, according to the report.

Further, other insurgent groups, such as Noureddine el-Zinki (earlier backed by the US against Assad), have now joined the HTS alliance backed by Turkey. The coalition dubbed the 'Syrian National Army' has attacked Tel Rifaat town and battled US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

US-backed SDF

The SDF comprises a coalition which controls large parts of eastern Syria. It has battled and held against the Islamic State (ISIS) with the help of around 900 station American troops. SDF forces still control several neighbourhoods of Aleppo encircled by insurgents.

Turkey considers the principal Kurdish faction of the SDF to be linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which it and allies regard as a terrorist group.

(With inputs from AP)