Who are the main players in the Syrian civil war and rebel uprising?

Syria's protracted civil war has regained global attention after insurgents he took control of Damascus over the weekend and toppled the 50-year-old Assad regime.

Tuesday, Syria's new interim leader announced he led the country as a caretaker prime minister with the support of the former rebels who overthrew President Bashar al-Assad three days ago.

In a brief speech on state television, Mohammed al-Bashir, a little-known figure across most of Syria who previously ran an administration in a small pocket of rebel-held northwest, said that he would take the interim authority until March 1.

The dramatic advance by rebel forces over the past two weeks has come as several key players in the conflict have been withdrawn or weakened, sparking the heaviest clashes since a ceasefire in 2020 calm to the north of the country.

Here's a look at the top players.

5 foreign powers in Syria

The Syrian civil war began in 2011 following an uprising against the Assad regime. Five foreign powers have a military presence in the country: the United States, Russia, Iran, Turkey and Israel. Anti-Assad forces, along with US-backed fighters, had controlled more than a third of the country.

Turkey has deployed troops across northwestern Syria – territory held by Syrian rebel groups that rose up against Assad in 2011. Turkey, a strong supporter of revolution of 2011, supporting some of these rebel groups.

Iran sent its Revolutionary Guards to Syria as early as 2012 to help Assad. Lebanon's Hezbollah, backed by Iran, played a major role. For Iran, Assad is a vital ally, part of its “Axis of Resistance” to Israel and US influence in the Middle East.

The US military intervention in Syria began in 2014 with airstrikes against the Islamic State jihadist group that declared its rule over a third of Syria and Iraq. US forces remain in Syria and continue to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Russia intervened militarily on Assad's side in 2015, in the largest effort in the Middle East since the fall of the Soviet Union. Operating from an air base in the Latakia region, Russian air power decisively pounded Assad's path.

Israel maintains the Golan Heights, which it captured in its 1967 war with its Arab neighbors. Monday, Israeli forces occupied a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established by a 1974 ceasefire agreement with Syria. Israel has denied reports that its forces had advanced beyond the buffer zone into the countryside southwest of Damascus.

The presence of Iran and Iranian-backed forces in Syria has been a major concern for Israel, prompting it to conduct frequent airstrikes in Syria.

forces that oppose the Syrian government. Supported by Russia, Iran

Syrian government forces have long controlled a large part of the country, thanks to the combined forces sent by Russia and Iran.

Until this weekend, Assad's forces controlled most of the main population centers, including the capital Damascus and cities in central, southern and eastern Syria. The Syrian government's capture of Aleppo at the end of 2016 was a turning point in the conflict – and the loss of their city in recent days is a major problem.

Iran's military advisers and proxy fighters have played a vital role in sustaining Assad's forces throughout the war. But the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon has been weak in its recent war against Israel and the conflict has been distracted by the conflict. Last week, Iranian-backed Iraqi militias were sent to Syria to support the government's offensive.

The Russian military has supported Assad from the Mediterranean coast, where it maintains its only naval base outside the former Soviet Union, and at the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia province, which home to hundreds of Russian soldiers. But much of his attention and resources have been focused on his war in Ukraine.

The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia has has granted political asylum to Assad.

Terrorist groups. Mostly supported by Turkey

Anti-government forces are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group, a long-time branch of al-Qaeda in Syria and considered a terrorist group by the United Nations as well as countries including the US. and Canada.

Public Safety Canada noted that Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS), which merged in 2017 under HTS, has claimed responsibility for hundreds of attacks, including ambushes, kidnappings, assassinations, suicide bombings -killing and improvised explosive devices.

HTS had controlled much of northwest Syria and in 2017 established a “liberation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, its leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has tried to remake the group's image, cutting ties with al-Qaeda, releasing hard-line officers and promising to take to religious pluralism and tolerance.

Other terrorist groups include Noureddine el-Zinki, who was previously supported by the US, before joining the HTS-led alliance.

A Turkish coalition of groups known as the Syrian National Army has attacked areas including the northern town of Tel Rifaat, controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and Kurdish forces.

Chinese fighters from the Turkistan Islamic Party and Chechen fighters from the former Soviet Union have taken part in the battles in the northwest of the country, according to Syrian opposition activists.

Turkey, which controls parts of northern Syria, does not say how many troops it has in the country.

Syrian Democratic Forces. Supported by the US

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, a US-backed coalition of groups, control large parts of eastern Syria.

The SDF has been fighting the Islamic State group, capturing the last sliver of land the rebels had in eastern Syria. About 900 American soldiers are stationed in eastern Syria to protect against a revival by the terrorist group.

On Sunday, the US launched one of its largest and most widespread attacks against IS camps and operatives in the desert, taking advantage of the fall of the Assad government. So far, US officials say they do not plan to increase the number of American forces in Syria, but that they are focused on making sure that those already there are safe.

Turkey believes the main Kurdish group the SDF is linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which it and its allies consider a terrorist group.