current developments in Syria; The return of terrorists to the region under the protection umbrella of the West

Mehr News, International Group: Syrian developments and their consequences for the region and the world, one of It is the most complex contemporary crisis. The fall of Assad and the domination of extremist groups over large areas of this country have faced the world with a wave of new threats. These events have not only turned the Middle East into the center of extremism, but also jeopardized the security of Western countries, which are the founders of these conditions by providing financial support to extremist groups. In this report, we intend to scrutinize these issues in detail;

The spread of terrorism in the Middle East under the protection umbrella of the West

The policies of the West, especially the United States, have played a major role in the spread of terrorism in the Middle East. The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the power vacuum that was created in this country created the ground for the growth of groups like ISIS. ISIS was able to control large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014.

Also, during this period, during the internal tensions in Syria, in order to weaken the government of Bashar al-Assad, Western countries provided financial aid and weapons to the rebel groups. Since 2012, about 500 million dollars have been allocated by these countries to the Syrian opposition, a part of which has directly reached the extremist groups.

The cooperation of the West with some Arab countries in the region, which are accused of providing financial support to extremist groups, has also indirectly strengthened terrorism. Research has shown that about 40% of the aid sent from these countries to the Syrian rebels fell into the hands of extremist groups.

In addition, ignoring the fundamental problems of the region such as poverty and unemployment has been another factor in the spread of extremism. According to the World Bank report, in 2022, more than 50% of Syrian youth in the areas under the control of terrorist groups will be unemployed, which has provided the basis for recruitment for these groups.

There is no doubt that Western military interventions have also been effective in this process. For example, US airstrikes in Syria have often led to the weakening of governments and the strengthening of extremist groups. Previously Surveys showed that after these attacks, about 30% of the evacuated areas came under the control of extremist groups.

Ismail Baqaei, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of our country said in the context of the West’s support for terrorists: “How much of more than The four billion pounds that Britain claims to have spent on the Syrian crisis, have they really been used to create and perpetuate this crisis? Actors like England, which caused the spread of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, their hands are stained with the blood of the Syrian people.”

He added: “Syrian people are massacred today with weapons donated by England to Israel and their infrastructure is destroyed. These actions are dishonorable, even for a country with a long history of colonialism and genocide.”

These movements and policies of America and Europe show an approach that not only did not solve the problems of the region, but also led to the deepening of crises and the spread of terrorism.

The high number of terrorist groups in Syria and the threat to the security of the region and the world

Syria earlier was also part of that hotbed of terrorists, now it is one of the main centers of activity of groups It has become terrorist and armed in the Middle East region. The presence and governance of these groups has not only affected Syria’s internal security, but is also a serious threat to regional stability and even global security. In the following, only a few cases of these extremist and terrorist groups in the Syrian territory are mentioned;

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham: This terrorist group, the strongest active group in northwest Syria, is formed from the remnants of al-Qaeda branches. has been Al-Sham editorial board, which was also known as Al-Nusra Front in the past, and in 2018 by the Ministry America’s Foreign Ministry was designated as a terrorist organization, with the fall of the Assad regime, now under the leadership of Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. /span>” in control of the territory of Syria It has.

ISIS: Although the power of ISIS has decreased compared to 2014-2018, the remnants of this group They continue to carry out operations in the desert areas of eastern Syria, especially Deir Ezzor and Homs, and are considered a serious threat. In recent days, the images related to the entry of the Tahrir Al-Sham forces into the city of Latakia with ISIS flags It worried the region and the world.

Syrian National Army: This group operates under the support of Turkey and wide areas in northern Syria, It controls the border with Turkey. The Syrian National Army is made up of soldiers who separated from Bashar al-Assad’s army and were initially known as the Free Syrian Army.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF): Syrian Democratic Forces that ISIS is fighting, they control large areas east of the Euphrates River, including Raqqa (the former capital of ISIS). However, this group sometimes clashes with Türkiye and other groups.

Southern Operations Room: This new rebel group in the south of Syria recently in the Dara has appeared. This area, which was the origin of the uprising against the Assad regime, has now become the base of the Druze minority fighters.

Smaller extremist groups: groups such as Haras Al-Din (linked to al-Qaeda) and remnants of the Al-Nusra Front are still in different areas Syria are active. The activities of these groups, with the financial and armed support of regional and international actors, continue to fuel the instability of the region. Each of these groups pursues their own goals, but their final result is the intensification of insecurity and the spread of extremism in the region.

The power vacuum in Syria: the prospect of the spread of terrorism in the Middle East and the West

The fall of the Assad regime and his asylum in Russia is a historical development in the Syrian crisis. This development, which is associated with the domination of rebel and terrorist groups over major parts of the country, has deep and far-reaching consequences for the Middle East and the Western world. In the following, the consequences of this event on regional and global security will be discussed;

1. Reviving the ideology of extremism and strengthening terrorist networks

The domination of terrorist groups and specifically Tahrir al-Sham over the entire territory of Syria is a great victory for The ideology is considered extremism. It is likely that these groups will use social networks and digital media to spread their ideology and inspire new terrorist attacks in Western countries. Their victory will also encourage other extremist groups in the Middle East, Africa and even Europe and America, which is a serious alarm for global security.

2. The return of foreign militants: a security threat to the West

Thousands of foreign fighters and militants who had gone to Syria in recent years may now return to their countries. These people with military experience and extreme ideology are a serious threat to the national security of European and American countries. According to estimates, about 900 British citizens have joined the ISIS group, of which half have returned and some were locked up in prisons. And now, with the fall of Assad, they have been released, and the release of these prisoners will be a great challenge for the West.

3. New wave of immigration and crisis in Europe

The power vacuum in Syria, the escalation of conflicts between terrorist and militia groups, and regional instability could lead to a new wave of immigration to Europe. This crisis will put more pressure on European countries that have faced immigration challenges before. For example, British Foreign Minister David Lemmy warned a few days ago that the fall of Bashar al-Assad will create a massive immigration crisis in Europe.

4. Increase in terrorist attacks in western countries

The security vacuum in Syria provides the basis for planning more sophisticated terrorist attacks in the West. Extremist groups that now have more resources and facilities can carry out more coordinated attacks in European and American countries. For example, ISIS terrorist attacks in France in 1394 and 1395 left more than 700 dead and injured and shocked the Western society. In recent years, the threat level of terrorism in England has also remained high and has repeatedly reached the “critical” level.

Despite these current developments in Syria and the region, the main of which is the result of the intervention and incendiary actions of Western countries, the possibility of the recurrence of such tragic and terrorist events in the heart of Europe is far from There is no expectation.

5. The social and political effects of the domination of terrorists in Syria on the West

Increasing terrorist threats and mass immigration will likely lead to the strengthening of populist and anti-immigration currents in Europe and America. In addition to weakening the internal cohesion of these countries, this makes international cooperation to deal with terrorism more difficult.

To sum up, the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and the domination of extremist groups over this country is a turning point in the Middle East crisis, the consequences of which clearly go beyond the borders of the region. This event brings many security threats, especially for Western countries. From the revival of the ideology of extremism and the return of foreign fighters to the increase in terrorist attacks and the new wave of migrations, all of them indicate the need for urgent and coordinated actions by the international community.