Despite Russian airstrikes, FSA continues to confront regime
Although recent Russian military strikes in Syria have provided air cover for government forces, the Free Syrian Army continues its battles against the regime.
IDLIB, Syria — The Syrian revolution broke out in March 2011 as Syrians demanded freedom and democracy from an authoritarian totalitarian regime. This regime, however, confronted peaceful demonstrations with live ammunition that led to the killing and wounding of several demonstrators back then. Several months later, the situation in Syria evolved, and the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which was formed in July of 2011, turned into the Syrian revolution’s military arm that confronts the Syrian regime’s military machine.
As the Syrian regime failed to put an end to the revolution, it subsequently resorted to its allies, namely Hezbollah and Russia, for military and political support, and it seems to have shifted from giving orders to receiving ones while serving Iran's and Russia’s interests. This impeded Damascus from making any decision to start or stop a battle before consulting its Iranian ally, as shown by the recent truce that was signed between the opposition and the regime in September; the negotiating team was Iranian, and there were no regime representatives facing the Islamist Ahrar al-Sham movement.
