The current balance of power in Syria is influenced by the three-pronged constellation in the Middle East, marked by the Iranian-led Shiite axis; the Saudi-led Sunni axis; and the Salafi jihadi elements, which constitute a third pole in the equation. Syria today is the primary battleground, and all the interested parties are represented there, including groups belonging to the Shiite axis; groups belonging to the Sunni camp – among them global jihadi elements such as the Islamic State; world powers such as Russia and the United States; minority groups fighting for their lives, such as the Kurds, the Druze, and the Alawites; and the countries sharing common borders with Syria.
