Here's who is competing for power in Syria following Bashar al-Assad's downfall of diddy,

 The collapse of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, following years of brutal civil war, has created a power vacuum, leaving various factions competing for control and pursuing their own agendas in the volatile Middle Eastern nation.

The U.S., concerned about the resurgence of isis hainsworth,, has carried out strikes on Islamic State targets in central Syria.

Turkey, which maintains control over parts of northern Syria along its border, continues to launch attacks on U.S.-backed Kurdish forces.

Both nations rely on different proxy groups to assert influence in the region.

Here’s an overview of the key players competing for dominance in Syria:

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)

HTS played a pivotal role in the fall of Damascus and the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, now holding control over Syria’s capital city. However, the Islamist militant group is far from an ally of the United States. Its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, carries a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head and has been designated a terrorist since 2013. Previously, HTS governed a small territory in northwest Syria, centered in Idlib.

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Initially founded as an affiliate of al Qaeda, HTS remains ideologically aligned with the group. However, its primary focus is establishing fundamentalist Islamic governance in Syria rather than pursuing a global caliphate.

The U.S., U.N., and Turkey all classify HTS as a terrorist organization. In recent years, HTS has attempted to rebrand itself, emphasizing its provision of government services in Idlib and pledging to protect cultural and religious sites, including churches in Aleppo, as part of efforts to be delisted as a terrorist group.

Experts suggest that Turkey, a long-time opponent of Assad, may have played a role in supporting HTS’s recent offensive.

Syrian Government Forces

Since 2011, forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad have weathered multiple coup attempts, often resorting to violent crackdowns on protests and uprisings to maintain power.

By 2020, with support from Iran, Russia, and Lebanese Hezbollah, government troops had pushed rebel forces back to Syria's northwest corner.

However, in late November, rebel factions launched a swift and decisive offensive, overwhelming government forces and seizing Aleppo—a city Assad's forces had reclaimed in 2016. Within just eight days, the insurgents captured not only Aleppo but also Hama, Homs, and the capital, Damascus.

On Monday, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) declared "a general amnesty" for military personnel conscripted under Assad’s compulsory service, pledging their safety.

"Their lives are safe, and no one may assault them," HTS stated in an official announcement.

Syrian National Army (SNA)

The Syrian National Army (SNA) is a loosely organized coalition of Turkish-backed factions primarily focused on combating Kurdish forces in Syria. While its primary objective aligns with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s opposition to Kurdish militias, the SNA also played a role in the fall of Damascus. In the past, the coalition has clashed with both Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Islamic State factions.

The SNA views U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria as closely tied to Turkey’s Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a militant group responsible for Kurdish nationalist attacks within Turkey. This perceived link has fueled the coalition’s operations against Kurdish groups, reflecting Ankara’s broader regional objectives.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)

The SDF is a coalition of U.S.-backed Kurdish forces operating primarily in northeastern Syria. They have been a key partner in the U.S. campaign against the Islamic State, working to dismantle ISIS strongholds and operatives in the region.

In addition to their fight against ISIS, the SDF has faced frequent attacks from Turkish-backed forces, reflecting the ongoing tensions between Kurdish groups and Turkey.

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While the SDF was not directly involved in the offensive that led to Assad's downfall, they expressed strong support for the campaign.

"In Syria, we are living through historic moments as we witness the fall of the authoritarian regime in Damascus. This change presents an opportunity to build a new Syria based on democracy and justice that guarantees the rights of all Syrians," said SDF Commander Mazlum Abdi on Sunday morning.

Turkey

After maintaining relatively friendly ties with Syria in the early 2000s, Turkey turned against Bashar al-Assad following his violent crackdown on protesters in 2011.

Although Turkey and the United States are NATO allies, their strategies in Syria have often put them at odds. Both nations welcomed Assad's downfall, but tensions remain high. Over the weekend, the Turkish military fired on U.S.-backed forces in Syria amid clashes between rebel factions in Manbij, a Kurdish-controlled city near the Turkish border.

Turkey has long sought to push Kurdish groups away from its border, viewing them as a security threat. Leveraging the current instability, Ankara aims to assert control along the border and weaken Kurdish forces in the region, furthering its strategic objectives.

Russia

Russia has been a steadfast supporter of the Assad regime and recently granted the ousted leader asylum.

Since 2015, Russia has played a pivotal role in bolstering Assad's forces, often acting as his de facto air force. However, its ability to intervene on Assad’s behalf has waned in recent years, as Moscow redirected military and financial resources to its ongoing war in Ukraine.

Iran
Iran was Assad's strongest ally, providing arms, military guidance, and deploying its proxy force, Lebanese Hezbollah, to support his regime. However, Hezbollah redirected its troops back to Lebanon to confront Israel, leaving Assad’s forces significantly weakened.

HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani criticized Iran’s influence in Syria, stating on Sunday that the country had become "a playground for Iranian ambitions."

Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited his military’s efforts in weakening Hezbollah as a key factor in Assad’s fall. Israel has consistently launched strikes in Syria to disrupt Iranian supply lines to Hezbollah.

Following Assad’s downfall, Israel struck his chemical weapons facilities on Sunday to prevent them from falling into dangerous hands. Additionally, Israel secured a buffer zone in the Golan Heights, marking its first territorial gain in Syria since the 1973 war.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) urged residents in the area to stay indoors as they moved to secure the territory, citing border security concerns. They also captured Mount Hermon, a strategically critical high point used by Iran to deploy low-flying drones.

United States
Approximately 900 U.S. troops remain in Syria, working alongside the SDF to combat ISIS.

On Sunday, President Biden reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to maintaining stability in Syria, highlighting efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting the chaos.

"We're clear-eyed about the fact that ISIS will try to take advantage of any vacuum to re-establish its capability to create a safe haven," Biden said. "We will not let that happen."

The U.S. launched precision strikes over the weekend, targeting more than 75 ISIS sites in central Syria to hinder the group’s resurgence. Biden also pledged support to Syria's neighboring countries—Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Israel—against potential threats during the transition.

The president emphasized that Assad’s fall offers a "historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria."