The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Power and influence distribution in Syria | ISIS-held area in the desert declines following military operations by Russian and regime forces

The recent developments in Daraa al-Balad in Daraa province, including the strict siege and military operations which led to the implementation of conditions imposed by Russian, have not affected the power and influence distribution in Syria, as the entire province has been already under “symbolic” regime domination.

Nevertheless, the area ISIS members and cells are deployed on Syrian territory, exactly in the Syrian desert, has been noticeably shrunk due to the military operations by Russian and regime forces, particularly the Russian aerial operations through executing tens of airstrikes on a daily basis. These operations and airstrikes have forced ISIS members to fall back and hide in a smaller pocket. Now, ISIS is restricted in a pocket of less than 1 percent of Syria geography, after being deployed in the Syrian desert in an area of some 3,283 square kilometers, equivalent to 1.8 percent of the total area of Syria.

According to the latest statistic, set by the Syrian Observatory that has been monitoring and tracking all developments on ground since the start of the Syrian Revolution in March 2011, the power and influence distribution in Syria could be summarized as follows:

• Syria Democratic Forces (SDF): 42,485.6 km2 (22.9% of the total Syrian territories).

• ISIS: 1,851.8 km2 (1% of the total Syrian territories).

• Regime forces and their proxy militias: 117,820 km2 (63.7% of the total Syrian territories).

• Factions of “Euphrates Shield”, “Olive Branch” and “Peace Spring”: 9,050 km2 (4.9% of the total Syrian territories).

• Islamic and rebel factions: 4,874.2 km2 (2.6% of the total Syrian territories).

• Foreign forces and their proxy factions: 3,543 km2 (1.9% of the total Syrian territories).

• Areas under joint control of regime forces and SDF: 5,555.4 km2 (3% of the total Syrian territories).

It is worth noting that the total area of Syria reaches 185,180 square kilometres, and it is divided into a populated area of total 104,475 km2 and a desert with a total area of 80,705 km2.