Updated February 24, 2023
Syria and U.S. Policy
Since 2011, conflict between the government of Syrian
Figure 1. Syria: Areas of Influence
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, including:
Source: CRS, using ESRI and U.S. State Department data.
The Asad Government

The Asad government—backed by Russia, Iran, and
2023 Earthquakes
aligned militia forces—controls about two thirds of Syria’s
On February 6, 2023, successive 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude
territory, including most major cities. In 2021, President
earthquakes struck southern Turkey near the Syrian border,
Asad won a fourth seven-year term; U.S. officials described
resulting in over 47,000 fatalities across both countries.
the election as “an insult to democracy.” Pockets of armed
Within Syria, the northwest—including areas controlled by
resistance to Asad rule remain, particularly in the south.
opposition and extremist groups, and by Turkish-backed
Kurdish-Arab Military and Civilian Authorities
Syrian militia forces—was most impacted.
Following the defeat of the Islamic State by the U.S.-
Following international pressure, President Asad on
backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Kurdish
February 13 authorized the United Nations to use the Bab al
authorities and their Arab partners in northeast Syria
Salam and Al Ra’ee border crossings to reach opposition
established the Autonomous Administration of North and
held areas of northwest Syria for a period of three months.
East Syria (AANES), also known as the Self
Prior to this, U.N. agencies were limited to the Bab al Hawa
Administration of Northeast Syria (SANES). The SDF and
crossing, which remains the only border crossing authorized
its political wing (the Syrian Democratic Council, SDC)
by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) for the delivery of
play a leading role in the AANES, whose leaders have
cross border aid into Syria (see below).
stated that it is not aligned with either the Asad government
U.S. Response. On February 9, U.S. officials announced
or with opposition forces. Turkey has clashed with the main
$85 million in humanitarian assistance to earthquake-
Kurdish group within the SDF because of its links with the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)
affected populations in Turkey and Syria. On February 19,
, a U.S.-designated
U.S. officials announced an additional $100 million in
Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA)
Opposition and Extremist Forces
funds and humanitarian assistance to support the earthquake
Opposition-held areas of northwest Syria are administered
response. While stating that “U.S. sanctions programs
by the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG). The SSG was
already contain robust exemptions for humanitarian
established in 2017 and is affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al
efforts,” on February 9, the U.S. Department of the
Sham, which is an FTO due to its links to Al Qaeda. Many
Treasury issued Syria General License 23, “Authorizing
residents of this area have been displaced from areas of
Transactions Related to Earthquake Relief Efforts in Syria,”
Syria now under Asad control, and an estimated 75%
which authorizes for 180 days all transactions related to
depend on U.N. assistance to meet their basic needs.
earthquake relief that would otherwise be prohibited by the
Turkish Forces and Aligned Militias
Syria Sanctions Regulations.
Turkish-held areas of northern Syria include territories

occupied by Turkish forces in cooperation with Syrian Arab
The Islamic State
proxy forces. In these areas, Turkey has established local
councils subordinate to the Turkish provinces they border,
U.S. military officials assess that the Islamic State remains
with Turkish provincial governments overseeing the
entrenched as a cohesive, low-level insurgency, focusing its
provision of some basic services.
activities against Asad government forces in southwest
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Syria and U.S. Policy
Syria and the central Syrian desert, and against the SDF in
Sanctions
northern and eastern Syria.
The United States maintains sanctions on Syria relating to
Islamic State Detainees. The SDF continues to hold about
its support for terrorism, interference in Lebanon, use of
10,000 IS fighters in detention facilities across northern
chemical weapons, and human rights violations. The Biden
Syria. In January 2022, U.S. air and ground forces in Syria
Administration has expressed support for a regional deal to
joined SDF partner forces in a lengthy battle to retake a
export natural gas and electricity from Egypt and Jordan to
prison seized by IS fighters. It was the largest U.S. military
Lebanon via Syria, describing it as a humanitarian effort
engagement with the group since 2019. The SDF also
that would be funded by the World Bank and thus not
retains custody of about 57,000 people linked to the Islamic
require a sanctions waiver. In a February 2022 letter to
State (mostly women and children) at the Al Hol IDP camp.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the ranking Members of
U.S. Policy
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House
Foreign Affairs Committee argued that the deal would
The Biden Administration has identified four policy
“undoubtedly enrich the Assad regime and trigger U.S.
priorities to meet the U.S. objective for a political
sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act.”
settlement to the conflict as envisioned in UNSC Resolution
Humanitarian Assistance
2254: (1) sustaining the U.S. and coalition campaign
The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian
against the Islamic State; (2) supporting local ceasefires; (3)
assistance to the Syria crisis, allocating more than $15.8
expanding humanitarian access; and (4) pressing for
billion since FY2012 for humanitarian efforts in Syria and
accountability and respect for international law while
in neighboring states that host Syrian refugees.
promoting human rights and nonproliferation, including
through the imposition of targeted sanctions.
Cross-Border Assistance. Due to the Asad government’s
obstruction of humanitarian assistance to opposition-held
U.S. Military Presence: Operation Inherent Resolve
areas, in 2014 the UNSC authorized U.N. agencies to
U.S. forces have operated inside Syria since 2015 pursuant
deliver humanitarian assistance cross-border via four
to the 2001 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military
international crossing points with notification to the Asad
Force (AUMF), amid ongoing debate in Congress about the
government. In 2020, the UNSC authorization was reduced
authorization for U.S. operations in Syria. U.S. operations
to a single crossing point from Turkey (Bab al Hawa) due
focus on countering the Islamic State as part of Operation
to pressure from Russia and China, who argued that cross-
Inherent Resolve (OIR). According to Lead Inspector
border aid violated Syrian sovereignty and that aid
General reporting to Congress in late 2022, the OIR mission
distribution should be coordinated with Syrian authorities
is “to advise, assist, and enable partner forces until they can
from government-held to rebel-held areas (termed “cross-
independently defeat ISIS in designated areas of Iraq and
line” assistance). Humanitarian actors state that cross-line
Syria.” About 900 U.S. troops are based in Syria to support
assistance cannot replace the scale of U.N. cross-border
counter-IS operations. Most U.S. forces are deployed in
assistance. The current authorization for cross border aid
what military officials term the Eastern Syria Security Area,
(UNSC Resolution 2672) expires on July 10, 2023.
in support of the SDF. About 100 U.S. troops support the
Stabilization Assistance
Syrian Free Army (formerly known as Jaysh Mughawir ath
The United States has provided more than $1.3 billion in
Thawra), an Arab force, at the At Tanf garrison. At Tanf is
stabilization assistance for non-regime-held areas of Syria
located along a transit route between Iraq and Syria used by
since 2011. The State Department describes such assistance
both IS fighters and by Iran-backed militias.
as “a critical element in the OIR mission because it
Since 2015, CENTCOM has conducted periodic military
mitigates the economic and social cleavages previously
strikes in Syria outside the framework of OIR, including on
exploited by ISIS, closes gaps in local authority capacity,
targets linked to Al Qaeda, the Syrian government, and
and supports civil society to advocate for citizen needs.”
Iran-backed militias—some of which have used Syria-based
The Department also has described stabilization assistance
facilities to monitor and target U.S. forces in Iraq.
as a counterweight to the influence of Iran, Russia, and the
U.S. Policy Tools
Syrian government.
Issues for Congress
Syria Train and Equip Program
Congress may consider whether and to what extent
The Syria Train and Equip program, authorized by
earthquake relief efforts could shape existing debates
Congress in 2014 and funded via the Counter-ISIS Train
regarding early recovery projects in Syria. Members also
and Equip Fund (CTEF), seeks to make partner forces in
may consider whether stabilization assistance for Syria—
Syria capable of defeating the Islamic State. U.S. military
previously used in areas liberated from Islamic State
officials in late 2022 assessed that the SDF is “moderately
control—could be used in earthquake-affected areas. As in
capable” of conducting conventional and counter-terrorism
prior years, the FY2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act
operations, but remains dependent on Coalition forces to
states that, “Funds appropriated by this Act under titles III
conduct complex counter-ISIS operations and for materiel.
and IV may be made available, notwithstanding any other
FY2023 Funding. The FY2023 Consolidated
provision of law, for non-lethal stabilization assistance for
Appropriations Act (P.L. 117-328 and accompanying
Syria, including for emergency medical and rescue response
explanatory statement) makes $475 million available for
and chemical weapons investigations.”
CTEF, including $160 million for Syria. It also directs the
rescission of $65 million in prior year CTEF funds.
Carla E. Humud, Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs
IF11930
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Syria and U.S. Policy


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11930 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED

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