Complete map of Syrian War – November 2018
The Syrian War is nearing its eighth year and the conflict itself is still far from over.
With the Syrian government in control of most of the country, including the large provinces of Damascus and Homs, the war has now shifted to the country’s border.
As of November 1st, the Syrian Democratic Forces have been under a heavy attack by the Turkish military in the northern provinces of Al-Raqqa, Aleppo, and Al-Hasakah.
Based on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s latest press conference in Istanbul, his nation’s forces are preparing to launch a large-scale attack on the SDF’s positions east of the Euphrates.
This attack will likely concentrate on Kobani (var. ‘Ayn Al-‘Arab) and Tal Al-Abyad; these two cities border Turkey, which makes their capture incredibly important to Ankara.
Making matters worse for the SDF, they are also facing a powerful attack from the so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) in the southeastern region of Deir Ezzor.
Daesh has been taking advantage of the SDF’s thin front-lines to retake several areas near the Iraqi border.
Luckily for the SDF, Iraq’s Hashd Al-Sha’abi forces are positioned along the vast Syrian-Iraqi border and they can push into Deir Ezzor if need be.
Meanwhile in southern Syria, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) is involved in a fierce battle with the Islamic State for the Al-Safa volcanic region.
Daesh has refused to concede this desolate region, despite being outnumbered and short on provisions.
In many ways, the Islamic State’s decision to hold onto Al-Safa has been a blessing for them, as it forces the Syrian Army avoid launching an attack on their positions near the eastern part of the Euphrates River.
In the coming weeks, the Syrian Arab Army will likely commit more troops to the Al-Safa region once the situation in the Idlib Governorate is settled.
