Changes

==Belligerents==

==Belligerents==

[[File:The Khororsan Group Does Not Exist.PNG|right|300px|thumb|''The Khorosan Group Does Not Exist'', Andrew McCarthy, National Review, September 27, 2014.<ref>https://archive.is/wip/0siKU</ref>]]

[[File:The Khororsan Group Does Not Exist.PNG|right|300px|thumb|''The Khorosan Group Does Not Exist'', [[Andrew McCarthy]], National Review, September 27, 2014.<ref>https://archive.is/wip/0siKU</ref>]]

The government is comprised of Alawites of the Shia Islam religion led by [[Bashar al-Assad]] of the [[Ba'ath Party]], a [[secular]]-[[socialist]] party. Emboldened by the successful ousting of leaders in [[Libya]], [[Egypt]] and Tunisia, Sunni Muslims of the [[Free Syrian Army]], foreign insurgents from [[Iraq]], [[Pakistan]], Bangladesh, [[Chechnya]], the U.K.,<ref>[http://weaselzippers.us/2012/07/29/syria-islamists-with-birmingham-accents-heard-among-jihadist-faction-fighting-assad-regime/ Syria: Jihadists With “Birmingham Accents” Heard Among Islamist Rebel Faction Fighting Assad Regime,] [[Weasel Zippers]], July 29, 2012</ref> Ireland<ref>http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2012/0922/1224324260134.html</ref> and other terrorist forces have been furiously attacking government troops. Many European jihadists are moving to Syria to kill Alawites.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/344225/syria-s-european-jihadis-elliott-abrams</ref> The Syrian army would chase them down in occupied areas such as Homs, and then bombard the occupied areas. Some of the regime's forces that were reluctant to fire on their own people in the early days of fighting abandoned the government and fled to [[Turkey]]. A large refugee population has fled to neighboring [[Turkey]], [[Lebanon]] and [[Jordan]].<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/07/27/jordan-syrian-army-shoots-dead-syrian-refugee-boy/ Jordan: Syrian army shoots dead Syrian refugee boy, Fox News, July 27, 2012]</ref>

The government is comprised of Alawites of the Shia Islam religion led by [[Bashar al-Assad]] of the [[Ba'ath Party]], a [[secular]]-[[socialist]] party. Emboldened by the successful ousting of leaders in [[Libya]], [[Egypt]] and Tunisia, Sunni Muslims of the [[Free Syrian Army]], foreign insurgents from [[Iraq]], [[Pakistan]], Bangladesh, [[Chechnya]], the U.K.,<ref>[http://weaselzippers.us/2012/07/29/syria-islamists-with-birmingham-accents-heard-among-jihadist-faction-fighting-assad-regime/ Syria: Jihadists With “Birmingham Accents” Heard Among Islamist Rebel Faction Fighting Assad Regime,] [[Weasel Zippers]], July 29, 2012</ref> Ireland<ref>http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2012/0922/1224324260134.html</ref> and other terrorist forces have been furiously attacking government troops. Many European jihadists are moving to Syria to kill Alawites.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/344225/syria-s-european-jihadis-elliott-abrams</ref> The Syrian army would chase them down in occupied areas such as Homs, and then bombard the occupied areas. Some of the regime's forces that were reluctant to fire on their own people in the early days of fighting abandoned the government and fled to [[Turkey]]. A large refugee population has fled to neighboring [[Turkey]], [[Lebanon]] and [[Jordan]].<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/07/27/jordan-syrian-army-shoots-dead-syrian-refugee-boy/ Jordan: Syrian army shoots dead Syrian refugee boy, Fox News, July 27, 2012]</ref>