Syria

Against the backdrop of the Arab Spring, the crisis in Syria started primarily as an uprising
against Bashar al Assads government. Assads Baath Party has been in power in Syria since
1963.
What started as a movement against a dictatorial regime soon became an all out civil war
between different interest groups. Assad is an Alawite. Alawis represent a sect of Shia Islam and
are a minority in Syria which is a Sunni Arab-majority country. Rule by minorities is the cause
for bitter rivalries in Syria and other parts of the Middle East. Support for Assads government
and rebels, from the Middle East, is also similarly divided along religious lines.
Assads supporters
Iran: The Shia-majority country backs Assads government and the Syrian army with financial
and military support. In a region dominated by Sunni-majority countries, it is crucial for Iran to
ensure the survival of another Shia-controlled regime.
Hezbollah: Based in Lebanon, the Hezbollah is a Shiite militant group. Besides its involvement
in the sectarian politics in Lebanon, in the last three years, Hezbollah has been actively engaged
in supporting Assads regime.
Assads enemies
Free Syrian Army: The FSA started out as a group of defected Syrian army officers who
considered any member of the Assad security forces that kill our people a target to our rifles
(Syrias Armed Opposition, Joseph Holliday, March 2012). Over the last two-three years, FSA
has received support from the US and Saudi Arabia. Ironically, FSA is backing Kurdish militia to
fight the Islamic State (ISIS), which Saudi Arabia backs and the US, at least in theory, is
supposed to be fighting.
ISIS: The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, operates in north-eastern Syria and is actively engaged
in fighting Assads government. It is estimated that ISIS has 6000-7000 fighters in Syria.

Iraq
When Haider al-Abadi took over as Iraqs prime minister from Nouri al Maliki, there were
expectations that the new Shia government might finally undo the damage caused by the
previous one and would take a more inclusive approach towards the Sunni minority in the
country. While the Shia-Sunni divide in Iraq is not very stark (estimated to be a 60-40 divide,
with Shias being in majority), it has been at the heart of the political volatility in the country.
Saddam Hussein, a Sunni Muslim was accused of victimizing the Shias, and after the US
installed the Maliki government in the country, the reverse became the norm and continues to
this day.
Support
Iran: After the fall of Saddam Hussein Iraq and Iran have become close partners. Iran has helped
Iraq with substantial aid in its reconstruction efforts after the US withdrew from the country. US
withdrawal and its reluctance to get involved in the fight against ISIS has helped Iran expand its
sphere of influence in the country.
Opposition
ISIS: This violent terrorist group that has declared a worldwide Islamic Caliphate is largely seen
as a response to the Sunni power vacuum that was left after the fall of Saddam Hussein. While
the overarching purpose of the group is to establish an Islamic state, its objective in Iraq is to
wrest control from the Shias.