New civil war in Syria: What does that mean for Austria?

New civil war in Syria: What does that mean for Austria?

Aleppo, Syrien - The civil war in Syria has again gained intensity and provides an alarm internationally. Fights have been raging for days, and the situation is influenced by various actors, including Israel and powerful western nations. Since the outbreak of the conflict in 2011, the opposition to President Assad has struggled with violent repression, while radical groups, including the Islamic State (IS), have gained more and more foothold. As Krone+ reports, the military balance has shifted since 2021 in favor of the Assad regime, which has stabilized thanks to Russian and Iranian support.

The current offensive is led by "Hajat Tahrir al-Scham" (HTS), a group that was known as "Nusra Front" before splitting down and is now controlled by the majority of the northwest Syria. This alliance of Islamist rebels pursues the goal of combating the aggression of the Assad regime and has titled its offensive "deterrent of aggression". Kurdish forces are active in northeastern Syria, which, supported by the USA, are fighting against the Assad troops. Deutschlandfunk emphasizes that Turkey also influences by acting against Kurdish units and supporting other rebel groups. These complex political and military entanglements contribute to continuing instability in the country.

role of international powers

The support for Assad remains strong, despite the challenges associated with the Ukraine War. At the moment, observers report on the return of Russian air strikes on Aleppo, which indicates that Moscow has reinforced his military presence in Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, this is the first time since 2016 that Aleppo is again the goal of Russian attacks. The devastating consequences for the civilian population are inconceivable, since the war has cost more than half a million people since its beginning and forced millions to flee, as stated by Deutschlandfunk.