Iran has strengthened its hand in Syria through proxy militias, which could cause further chaos and be difficult to dislodge when the war ends.
In a panel discussion on Regime Area Dynamics on Thursday, Sinan Hatahet, senior associate fellow at Al Sharq Forum & Omran for Strategic Studies, said there would be ‘“new dynamics kicking in’’ when the fighting comes to an end with “a myriad of small conflicts that will emerge throughout the country.’’
The discussion, which took place during a conference on Demystifying the Syrian Conflict at Chatham House on Thursday, highlighted the influence militias have on the ground in Syria, where the situation is “hugely complex’’ Hatahet said.
Assad’s attempts to plug major gaps in the military manpower of the Syrian army by recruiting Iranian and Russian-sponsored fighters has led to a huge surplus of foreign fighters on the ground and Hatahet said there is “huge doubt” over the government’s capacity to control these groups down the line.
Wael Sawah, Editor-in-chief of The Syrian Observer, an independent news website, said the “Syrian regime is in a state of self-defence’’ as it tries to play off competing Russian and Iranian interests.
Chairing the discussion, Lina Sinjab, Middle East correspondent for the BBC, highlighted the ‘’impression among many that the Iranians are trying to change the demography in Syria.’’
Iran is consolidating its position in the suburbs surrounding Damascus, “to create a belt around the area so they can control it better, Hatahet said.
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This article has been adapted from its original source.
