The Guardian view on Syrian turmoil: alliances shift while Assad’s grip weakens | Editorial


IIs the Syrian war – the longest and deadliest conflict of the 21st century – finally coming to an end? No one bet on that. while a* a coalition he besieged the head of the rebels from the north, and took Damascus the key to the southern passageThe fall of the Assad family remains more prophecy than reality. However, the departure of President Bashar al-Assad was cut short. The military forces that once protected his government – Russian Airpower and Hezbollah militants – are now occupied. Ukraine and Lebanon. Mr Assad looks more vulnerable.

Since the Arab Spring arrived in Syria in March 2011, Mr Assad’s government has repeatedly scoffed at predictions of its collapse. Reigning with fear and threats, he was probably accused of using chemical weapons, lethal force and inhumane artillery against his own people. Syria is better off without him. His fortunes seemed to change last year, when he was taken back to his country Arab sheep after a decade of isolation. However, this return of self-interest returned Arab monarchs and autocrats rather than true reconciliation. They saw Mr Assad as a safer bet than his chance to break out of chaos.

More than 800 people, including 111 civilians, have been killed in the country since the violence erupted last week. The scars of the Syrian civil war remain unhealed. Over the years, Mr Assad’s government has uprooted 12 million people, many from the country entirely. Today, 2 million Syrians live in dire conditions in refugee camps in Idlib province, the largest so-called “de-proliferation zones“There is a fragile agreement between Turkey, Russia and Iran. Despite this agreement, the Syrian government has continued its aggressive attacks, reducing Idlib and similar areas in the south to ruins.

Turkey is moving into Idlib, but lacks full control. A cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon raised rebel groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under Abu Mohammad al-Jolani – who cut ties with al-Qaida in 2017 – to lead the offensive. The rebel push has exceeded expectations as government forces have collapsed – allowing Islamist groups to take strategic areas, including major cities, with little resistance.

Ankara faces mounting internal pressure to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has officially he expressed Mr Assad’s desire to end the war. However, the dictator of Syria rejected these overthrows, demanding a complete Turkish withdrawal from Syria as a prejudicial treaty. Russian mediation failed to bridge the gap – allowing the regime to continue its attacks on Idlib. Turkish, Russian and Iranian foreign ministers They are worried enough to hold weekend talks in Qatar about avoiding the fallout from the Syrian civil war. The mobile companies of the Middle East are reshaping the fate of Syria. After being removed, Mr Assad now enjoys support from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. The latter also discussed with the US whether the sanctions on Damascus could be lifted if they broke with Tehran. Donald Trump might take the deal.

Meanwhile, Israel sees the Syrian upheaval as presenting a danger: the risk of either a stronger Iranian presence or Turkish Islamist factions dominating its borders. The turmoil in Syria draws attention away from Gaza and the Palestinian cause, a calming crisis that demands focus. The country is acutely aware that the conflicts in the Middle East are deeply intertwined, with outcomes that remain dangerously vague.



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