The primary U.S.-backed force in the northeastern part of Syria is the Syrian Democratic Forces, a group composed predominantly of Kurdish and Arab militiamen.

The Wagner Group is a private military company (PMC) with ties to the Russian state under Vladimir Putin [1] [2] that had conducted operations in Syria since late 2015. Their presence in the country had been reported as late as 2021.

The Wagner Group is known to have operated in at least 11 countries; Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Syria, Sudan, Mozambique, Central African Republic, Mali, Libya, Venezuela, and Madagascar, spanning four continents, Europe, Africa, South America and Asia.

4 days ago · In 2018, the Syrian Civil War saw one of its most dramatic and unexpected clashes—an intense battle between Russian Wagner mercenaries and elite US Special Operations forces. This confrontation ...

May 31, 2024 · The Wagner Group, a private military company (PMC) funded by the Russian state, deployed to Syria in 2015 and spent six years there. Its role in the country’s conflict was most clearly highlighted by the Battle of Khasham in February 2018 , during which a mixed force of Wagnerite mercenaries and Syrian militiamen tried to seize control of an ...

May 24, 2018 · American intelligence officials say that the Wagner Group, known by the nickname of the retired Russian officer who leads it, is in Syria to seize oil and gas fields and protect them on behalf...

Jul 7, 2023 · Syrian authorities swiftly moved to isolate and control Wagner operatives after the mercenary group rebelled against the Kremlin, Reuters has reported.

Jul 7, 2023 · As Wagner mercenaries advanced on Moscow in an attempted mutiny in late June, authorities in Syria and Russian military commanders there took a series of swift measures against local Wagner...

Jul 18, 2023 · Ukraine aside, the Wagner Group has sent mercenary deployments to Syria, Libya, Mozambique, Mali, the Central African Republic, and Sudan. Unconfirmed rumors have been swirling about...

Jun 25, 2023 · In Syria, the Wagner Group became involved in killing deserters from Assad’s military. The methods included beheadings, as evidenced by videos they spread on social media. During the next stage, Syrian “volunteers” trained by Wagner Group commanders were sent to the front in the Libyan Civil War.