#Syria Map 1: March 10, 2014 Map 2: January 1, 2015 pic.twitter.com/neW5esfjWy
— Pieter Van Ostaeyen (@p_vanostaeyen) January 1, 2015
WNU Editor: In short .... the Syrian Free Army has been crushed, the Syrian government has lost the east, the Kurds are getting squeezed at Kobani, and the Islamic State and Al Qaeda affiliated groups now control half the country.
The map itself is great, detailed and correct, but the comparison may not show the same for everyone. During the last one year many thing changed in Syria, not as much as in 2013, but still a lot. The maps show huge ground loss from SAA and FSA areas into the hand of ISIS, but the situation on the ground is more complicated than this.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's forgotten that the "not easy to contol or call it controled" areas are marked as ruled by ISIS. In the newest map we see ISIS controling a larg part North from the border with Jordan. This area is similar to the North-East corner of Syria, or the whole West side of Iraq (excluded the river sides), which are only desert. There are not even towns, small villages or roads there. It's a bit missleading, but gather more atention, and also it's true that never easy to say who control these areas, because of the type of the terrain.
ISIS got a sit-back (I hope I use the right word for that) and even if noone agree, but for me the US lead Coalition Airstrikes had their effects, reached theri (or mine) goals and were very usefull. It's done it's job, not over-performed, but at least not failed. We are still very far away from the end of the war, not even in Syria or against ISIS, but it was a strong step forward.
The spring will came with new SAA offences, and since 2 years this is the first time that the battle at Der-er-Zor seems could be win against ISIS. I still see no chance that the Rebels could win against the Army, they still lack of coordination and leadership. The encircled Alepoo will take atention this year, just like a possible SAA offence in the south Daraa area, but the East Ghouta and Morek-Iblid front will also be interesting to see which side will advance first. I bet on SAA.
But to turn back to the maps. Every sides have different goals in the wars. Which worth more capturing a riverside where the population is almost one million but it's small in size on the map, or capture a 50 times bigger sand desert? The answer is depend on who you ask, but every answer has some truth in it.