How Syria’s civil war morphed into a global power struggle
Rivalries, alliances shift in 6-year-old Middle East battle
WASHINGTON Syria’s civil war began six years ago this week as a popular revolt against the brutal regime of President Bashar Assad.
Now a domestic uprising that has left an estimated 500,000 dead and millions homeless has morphed into a global war, sucking major powers into a conflict growing more volatile by the day.
The U.S., Russia, Turkey and Iran — as well as foreign terrorists — have joined the fray with an array of forces, often with conflicting objectives. Overhead, the airspace is crowded with Russian and coalition aircraft, sometimes flying within sight of one another, as they pursue separate air campaigns.
In the shadows, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East have secretly backed armed fighters to overthrow Assad.
Rivalries and alliances are constantly shifting. “It’s the complicated environment and situation I’ve been in in my life,” said Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the commander of coalition forces in Iraq and Syria.
Here is how one country’s civil war turned into an international crisis: administration.”
Iran and Russia, by contrast, did not hesitate to throw support behind their long-time ally, Assad. icans in Syria support a coalition of 45,000 Arab and Kurdish forces battling the Islamic State.
Airstrikes by a U.S.-led coalition have helped local ground forces drive ISIS out of a number of towns in northeastern Syria and are now intensifying efforts on Raqqa, the militants’ headquarters.