Russia and the US show their cards, the Syrian battlefield enters a new situation

The geopolitical chessboard between the US - Russia - Syria trio has no end in sight. Photo: Getty

In recent days, a series of rebel jihadists belonging to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in southwestern Syria have decided to surrender and accept reconciliation with the Damascus government. Previously, the Syrian army, with fierce campaigns, also gained control over a series of towns and villages in the area that was once considered a hotbed of anti-government protests.

Turning point on the battlefield

Looking at recent developments, it can be seen that the Syrian army is making rapid progress in the southwestern regions of the country. It should be noted that the Syrian army has only begun its campaign against rebels in the southwestern region of the country more than 10 days ago. The main target is Darra province - an extremely important location bordering Jordan and the Golan Heights, which is also a "strategic springboard" that Israel uses to conduct airstrikes on targets in Syria.

Smoke rises after airstrikes in Darra province, southern Syria. Photo: Reuters

Up to now, after fierce fighting campaigns, the government army has gained control over most of the key areas, a series of towns and villages in southwestern Syria from the rebel forces. Currently, Syrian army units are also continuing to advance to liberate the remaining rural areas in the northeast of Darra province. At the same time, after negotiations between representatives of the opposition group of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Russian negotiators, a series of gunmen accepted the agreement and surrendered their weapons. This is considered a new step forward for the Syrian government on the southwestern battlefield, and at the same time a significant defeat for the opposition in this area.

At first glance, this seems to be the result of tireless efforts by the Syrian government army and the support of its ally Russia. However, the story becomes more complicated when there is information that this is actually a concession by the administration of US President Donald Trump to Russia. It is also not surprising that in a recent message sent to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebel force that the US is supporting, the White House affirmed that the US-led coalition will not intervene in the upcoming fighting in Darra, southwest Syria. The silence of the US administration means that the opposition forces in southwest Syria will sooner or later have to surrender to the coalition of government troops and Russia.

Russia - US show their cards?

The public is asking why the US government suddenly "de-escalated" at this time? In terms of purpose, people have seen many times that US President Donald Trump expressed his intention to withdraw about 2,000 troops from Syria so that the US does not waste more money. But the problem is how to carry out this purpose without facing criticism from hard-line factions within the US who do not want Washington to "lose face" in this geostrategic battlefield. Therefore, many observers believe that it is very possible that right before the first summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart V. Putin, scheduled to take place on July 16 in Finland, the two leaders are making calculations right on the "Syrian chessboard".

Humanitarian disaster continues to threaten the civil war in Syria. Photo: Twitter

There, once the US stops supporting rebels in southwestern Syria, Russia and the Syrian government forces gain control of the area, which means that US forces no longer have a mission there. At the same time, President Bashar al-Assad's position will no longer be threatened in negotiations as before. This can be said to be the premise for the Syrian government to get closer to a peaceful end to the civil war that has entered its eighth year in this country.

But on the other hand, to achieve an easy victory in this geostrategic region, Russia and the government of President Bashar al-Assad will have to comply with the request of the US and its ally Israel to limit the presence and expansion of the influence of Iran and Hezbollah in Syria as well as the whole region. Some experts are even confident that the presence of Iran in Syria and the region will be one of the most important contents at the upcoming Russia-US summit on July 16 in Finland.

The ending is not easy

However, it is clear that for Russia and its ally Iran, the geostrategic interests in Syria are not so simple that the US can easily "bargain" with just a victory in southwestern Syria. Meanwhile, although the US wants to withdraw its troops, it does not forget to "demand full rights" for its regional allies, especially Israel. This is also the foundation for the US to have the "door" to return to intervene when necessary at any time. It should be recalled that Syria is home to important oil fields as well as important energy routes connecting Iran to Iraq as well as the Gulf countries. This also means that holding important positions will not only gain economic potential but also achieve a dominant role in the strategic relations that are turning the situation in the Middle East around.

Therefore, according to observers, in the near future, the US and Russia will continue to bargain to find the most beneficial solutions for both sides. But as long as both sides continue to calculate, the Syrian people will continue to suffer. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), nearly 50,000 Syrian refugees in the south of the country will have no place to stay when the only accessible place, the capital Amman of Jordan, has officially refused to accept this number of people. This also means that a foreseeable humanitarian disaster in Syria is making the civil war in this Middle Eastern country unlikely to end soon.