The Syrian Armed Conflicts

Muhammet Celal KUL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE7

TABLE OF CONTENTS11

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS13

INTRODUCTION AND BRIEF HISTORICAL OUTLINE.15

PART I

CLASSIFICATION of IACS of

SYRIAN ARMED CONFLICTS

Syria - Turkey.23

Syria-US-led Anti-ISIS Coalition .28

Syria - the US32

Russia-Turkey: The Fighter Jet Crisis33

Syria - Israel36

Wars of Proxy in Syria 37

PART II

CLASSIFICATION of

NIACS in SYRIA

ISIS- Syria42

ISIS - Turkey.46

YPG - Turkey51

Anti - Government Armed Opposition-Syria53

Anti - Government Armed Opposition-ISIS 56

Israel - Syrian Hezbollah 56

12 Table of Contents

PART III

INTERNATIONALIZATION of

ARMED CONFLICTS in SYRIA

Approaches to Determine State Control over Non -

State Armed Groups . 65

Involvement of Turkey in Support of Anti-government

Armed Opposition Groups  68

Involvement of Turkey against ISIS 71

Involvement of US - led Coalition in Support of SDF 74

Involvement of Iran and Russia in Support of the

Assad Régime  76

Transnational Armed Conflict. 78

PART IV

LEGAL EFFECTS of CLASSIFICATION of

ARMED CONFLICTS

Effect of Classification of Armed Conflicts of Syria 81

Non-State Armed Groups as Belligerent Occupants? 84

CONCLUSION . 87

ANNEXES 91

CA 2. 91

CA 3. 92

AP I (excerpt) . 94

AP II (excerpt) 95

Tadić Determination on the Existence of an Armed

Conflict (excerpt) . 96

BIBLIOGRAPHY .99