After the decline of ISIS… SDF become the force with the 2nd geographical power in Syria
About 42 thousand square kilometers are controlled by the Syria Democratic Forces of the area of the Syrian land
The military operations against the “Islamic State” organization did not stop on any of the fronts facing its presence on Syrian soil, the operations continue more violent day after the other; during which every party try to end its presence in their controlled areas, and the organization which used to face all forces each on its contact lines with it, is now facing two main forces: the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities with Russian support, and, the Syria Democratic forces supported by the US Special Forces and International Coalition warplanes, in the provinces of Homs, Al-Raqqah, Hama, Deir Ezzor and Al-Hasakah, as well as in remaining parts of the barren mountains of the Western Qalamoun adjacent to the Syrian-Lebanese border, which is the only front in direct contact with the factions.
The “Islamic State” organization of which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented 5 days ago its control over about 42000 of the size of the Syrian land, continued to crumble in front of the military operations against it, in the provinces of Homs, Deir Ezzor and Al-Raqqah especially, where the organization was the 2nd most influential force in Syria, after the regime forces, however, the continued defeat of organization and the decline of its control have moved it to be the 3rd force in terms of size of control of the Syrian territory, with a about 22.40% of size of the Syrian land which is about 41500 square kilometers.
Which makes the Syria Democratic Forces the 2nd largest power in Syrian after the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, where the Syria Democratic Forces control 22.51% of the size of the Syrian territory, they control about 42000 square kilometers divided on their controlled areas from the Syrian border to the western countryside of Manbij, through Al-Raqqah and parts of Deir Ezzor province, in addition to their control of neighborhoods in Aleppo city as well as Afrin area and villages extending from Deir Jamal to al-Sha’alah area in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, where the Syrian Democratic forces of which YPG is its mainstay have achieved most of this control with the support of the International Coalition, which supported their forces by air and provided them with military advisers and large quantities of weapons and ammunition, and the Syria Democratic Forces with this advancement took control of 3 main and strategic dams on the Euphrates River: the dams of Teshreen, Euphrates and Al-Baath and other dams in Al-Hasaka province, they also controlled cities and border towns extending from the triangle of the Syrian-Iraqi-Turkish border to the eastern banks of the Euphrates.
The Syria Democratic Forces have become in 2nd place after they were able during the past weeks and months to achieve a wide advancement within the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation, which is still taking place until now, and as a result of the retreat of the “Islamic State” organization in the battlefronts against the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities in recent days, where the organization is preferring the option of withdrawing and leaving large areas every a time, in front of the intense land and aerial shelling and bombing by the regime forces, Russian and Syrian warplanes, and the regime forces with this advancement are topping as a force with the largest influence of control in Syria, with a percentage of 38.39% of Syrian geography, which is more than 71100 square kilometers.
The rebel and Islamic factions, Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham, the Turkistan Islamic party and factions that include “jihadist” fighters which used to control large areas of the Syrian territory; their control has declined in many areas, where the factions control 16.57% of the Syrian territory, with a geographical area of about 30700 of Syria’s area, and within the overall total of area controlled by the factions: the “Euphrates Wrath” Operation Forces and the Turkish forces control in the northern countryside of Aleppo more than 2250 sq km which is 1.22%, while the American and Western-backed factions in the Syrian desert from line of Tanf Crossing – Kherbet al-Shahmi until the north of Kherbet al-Zaqf (where there is a camp for these factions) control about 3550 square kilometers which is 1.91% of the Syrian geography.
also Jaysh Khalid Ibn Al-Walid which swore allegiance to the “Islamic State” organization has in in control of an area about 250 square kilometers, which is about 0.13% of Syrian land area, it is present in Yarmouk basin in the western countryside of Daraa, adjacent to the occupied Syrian Golan.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has been monitoring since the second half of 2016 until July 2017, a significant change in the expansion of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, with the support of Russia and Iran, the Syria Democratic Forces are expanding their control, and the entry of the Turkish forces to Syrian territory and their involvement with the factions they supported in a military operation, all of that have blocked the last remaining doors for the “Islamic State” organization with the outside world, in addition to the great retreat for the “Islamic State” organization in many areas, also in many areas the regime forces were able to regain control of areas after besieging them and agreeing with those in charge of these cities, towns and areas on “situation settlement or displacement”