https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated February 24, 2023
Syria and U.S. Policy
Since 2011, conflict between the government of Syrian
President Bashar al Asad and opposition forces seeking his
removal has displaced roughly half of the country’s
population and killed over half a million people. Five
countries operate in or maintain military forces in Syria:
Russia, Turkey (Türkiye), Iran, Israel, and the United
States. The United States seeks a negotiated political
settlement to the Syria conflict and the enduring defeat of
the Islamic State (IS, aka ISIS/ISIL). Issues facing U.S.
policymakers include responding to threats posed by IS
remnants and detainees, countering Al Qaeda, facilitating
humanitarian access, and managing Russian and Iranian
challenges to U.S. operations. The February 2023
earthquakes created additional humanitarian needs in
northwest Syria; U.S. response efforts seek to assist
earthquake victims without bolstering the Asad regime.
Areas of Control
Rival administrations hold territory in Syria:
The Asad Government
The Asad government—backed by Russia, Iran, and
aligned militia forces—controls about two thirds of Syria’s
territory, including most major cities. In 2021, President
Asad won a fourth seven-year term; U.S. officials described
the election as “an insult to democracy.” Pockets of armed
resistance to Asad rule remain, particularly in the south.
Kurdish-Arab Military and Civilian Authorities
Following the defeat of the Islamic State by the U.S.-
backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Kurdish
authorities and their Arab partners in northeast Syria
established the Autonomous Administration of North and
East Syria (AANES), also known as the Self
Administration of Northeast Syria (SANES). The SDF and
its political wing (the Syrian Democratic Council, SDC)
play a leading role in the AANES, whose leaders have
stated that it is not aligned with either the Asad government
or with opposition forces. Turkey has clashed with the main
Kurdish group within the SDF because of its links with the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a U.S.-designated
Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
Opposition and Extremist Forces
Opposition-held areas of northwest Syria are administered
by the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG). The SSG was
established in 2017 and is affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al
Sham, which is an FTO due to its links to Al Qaeda. Many
residents of this area have been displaced from areas of
Syria now under Asad control, and an estimated 75%
depend on U.N. assistance to meet their basic needs.
Turkish Forces and Aligned Militias
Turkish-held areas of northern Syria include territories
occupied by Turkish forces in cooperation with Syrian Arab
proxy forces. In these areas, Turkey has established local
councils subordinate to the Turkish provinces they border,
with Turkish provincial governments overseeing the
provision of some basic services.
Figure 1. Syria: Areas of Influence
Source: CRS, using ESRI and U.S. State Department data.
2023 Earthquakes
On February 6, 2023, successive 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude
earthquakes struck southern Turkey near the Syrian border,
resulting in over 47,000 fatalities across both countries.
Within Syria, the northwest—including areas controlled by
opposition and extremist groups, and by Turkish-backed
Syrian militia forces—was most impacted.
Following international pressure, President Asad on
February 13 authorized the United Nations to use the Bab al
Salam and Al Ra’ee border crossings to reach opposition
held areas of northwest Syria for a period of three months.
Prior to this, U.N. agencies were limited to the Bab al Hawa
crossing, which remains the only border crossing authorized
by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) for the delivery of
cross-border aid into Syria (see below).
U.S. Response. On February 9, U.S. officials announced
$85 million in humanitarian assistance to earthquake-
affected populations in Turkey and Syria. On February 19,
U.S. officials announced an additional $100 million in
Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA)
funds and humanitarian assistance to support the earthquake
response. While stating that “U.S. sanctions programs
already contain robust exemptions for humanitarian
efforts,” on February 9, the U.S. Department of the
Treasury issued Syria General License 23, “Authorizing
Transactions Related to Earthquake Relief Efforts in Syria,”
which authorizes for 180 days all transactions related to
earthquake relief that would otherwise be prohibited by the
Syria Sanctions Regulations.
The Islamic State
U.S. military officials assess that the Islamic State remains
entrenched as a cohesive, low-level insurgency, focusing its
activities against Asad government forces in southwest
Syria and the central Syrian desert, and against the SDF in
northern and eastern Syria.
