Iran's military chief, General Mohammad Baqeri meets with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Syria in this handout picture provided by SANA on October 19, 2017. SANA/Handout via REUTERS
BEIRUT (Reuters) - With Islamic State near defeat in Syria, Damascus is setting its sights on territory held by Kurdish-led forces including eastern oil fields, risking a new confrontation that could draw the United States in more deeply and complicate Russian diplomacy.
President Bashar al-Assad and his Iranian allies appear to have been emboldened by events in Iraq, where Kurdish authorities have suffered a major blow since regional states mobilised against their independence referendum, analysts say.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
