Syria's civil war, which has killed more than 500,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011, has drawn in several foreign powers to the country, including the United States, Russia, Iran and Turkey. Here is a map of where the four main foreign players are in the Syrian territory.
The U.S. has deployed tens of thousands of troops across the Middle East region, many of them stationed in countries near Iran. Here is a look at U.S. troops in each country in the region at a time of high tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
Iran's top commander Qassem Soleimani was killed last week in a US airstrike
Taliban insurgents have intensified their attacks in Afghanistan recently, especially since direct peace talks with the U.S. fell apart. The group has vowed to disrupt Saturday's presidential elections.
