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DAMASCUS, Feb. 17-- As the Islamic State group lost most of their areas and strongholds in Syria, the prospect of peace in the war-torn country is still far way, because Syria is turning to be focus of military tussles by major and regional powers. The situation in Syria has turned out to be more complicated than just defeating the IS group to end a crisis that will enter its eighth year. Apparently, the Syrian war is no longer confined to a conflict between an opposition and a government, as the regional and international players have deeply involved militarily in the country. Such a broader conflict is seen in northern Syria between Turkey and the United States, while in southern Syria the conflict is growing between Israel and Iran. Tension has grown between the U.S. and Turkey, the two NATO allies, over the U.S.-backing of the Kurdish forces of the People's Protection Units (YPG) and their allies of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Turkey deems the Kurdish forces in northern Syria as terrorists due to their links with the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has been fighting for autonomy in the southeast of Turkey. Turkey launched a wide-scale offensive on the Kurdish-controlled Afrin enclave in northern Syria nearly a month ago to drive out the YPG from the area near the Turkish border. Ankara also said it wants to launch an offensive on Manbij, another Kurdish-controlled area in northern Syria where the U.S. has a presence. | 
