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UAE-led intervention in Syria

Part of the Syrian Civil War

UAE fighter

An Emirati F-16 preparing to conduct an airstrike
Date 2018 – present
Location Syria
Result Ongoing
Belligerents
GCC Coalition:
  • Flag of the United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
  • Flag of Kuwait Kuwait
  • Flag of Bahrain Bahrain
  • Flag of Qatar Qatar
  • Flag of Oman Oman

Logistical support:
Flag of Jordan Jordan
Flag of Iraq Iraq


In support of:
Flag of Syria Syria

ISIS flag Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
Flag of Free Syria Syrian Opposition
Various other terrorist and rebel groups
Commanders and leaders
Flag of the United Arab Emirates Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Flag of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Flag of Syria Bashar al-Assad

ISIS flag Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
Strength
Flag of the United Arab Emirates 10,000 troops, 45 aircraft 100,000+ troops
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

The United Arab Emirates and a coalition of GCC countries intervened in the Syrian Civil War in 2018 to help fight against ISIS and other terrorist groups. The general staff of the Emirates Defense Forces officially named it Operation Syrian Storm.

Prelude[]

Main article: Syrian Civil War

Preparations[]

In 2018, with ISIS on the rise in Syria, the United Arab Emirates had a change in policy and decided to instead support the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad rather than the rebels. As part of their attempts to increase their influence over the Gulf Cooperation Council and rival Saudi Arabia, the UAE decided to lead its own intervention independently of the Saudis. They got the rest of the GCC (with the exception of the Saudis) to go along with the plan, with Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman pledging troops in support of the operation. After Jordan and Iraq granted military access to their territories, the UAE deployed 10,000 ground troops and 45 aircraft to strike at ISIS targets in Syria, crossing the Iraqi and Jordanian borders. Other GCC states also contributed an unknown number of forces to this operation.

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