Aleppo Recapture Deals Setback to Gulf Militant Backers
Local Editor
The Syrian army's recapture of Aleppo has dealt a setback to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two supporters of militant forces whose struggle to oust President Bashar al-Assad appears increasingly fruitless.
Along with fellow US ally Turkey, the two wealthy Gulf countries have backed armed groups fighting government forces in Syria's war.
But with forceful military support from its allies, the regime has made significant gains in recent months.
The retaking of Aleppo, which the army announced on Thursday after a withdrawal deal saw thousands of fighters and civilians evacuated from the last militant-held areas, was the biggest victory yet for Assad's forces.
It marked a turning point the war, not only on the ground in Syria but for outside players like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, analysts said.
"The fall of Aleppo has weakened the negotiation position of the Syrian opposition and their allies," said Ibrahim Fraihat, a conflict resolution professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.
Assad's regime has over the years agreed to several rounds of peace talks with the opposition, including the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee.
And with the opposition -- which has long complained of a lack of serious military support from its allies -- losing ground, the diplomatic path is the only way forward, Fraihat said.
"Gulf backers should engage in pursuing a political settlement... as a military solution to this conflict has become less likely than ever before," Fraihat said.
At the same time, they should supply the militants with sophisticated weapons, including air ‘defense' systems "to prevent further imbalance of power" that would make a political solution even less likely, he said.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
Comments
- Related News