No one seriously believes that Ukrainian separatist groups would have been able to seize areas in the east of the country without substantial assistance from Russia.
Human rights groups have warned of possible sectarian violence if the Shi'ite paramilitaries seize areas where Sunni Muslims form a majority, which is the case in much of northern and western Iraq.
Islamic State militants have exploited the five-year civil war in Syria to seize areas in that country and in neighboring Iraq, though U.S. officials say their air strikes have markedly reduced the amount of territory the group controls in both.
Among the newly seized areas were the oil fields around Kirkuk, which greatly expanded Kurdish reserves.
However, Lin Biao's army attempted to block the entry of Nationalist troops by destroying rail lines and seizing areas around ports of entry.
All this coincided with the US-led coalition's bombing campaign against Isis targets, which curtailed other income streams such as oil, livestock and crops from seized areas.
Isis, however, has been establishing itself since last Autumn and keeps marching on, seizing areas from the country's traditional insurgents as well as the government and, significantly, becoming a major player in the opium trade, the country's most lucrative asset.
Syrian insurgents fighting loyalist forces in the northern city of Aleppo seized areas near its airport on Friday, threatening the government's control of a strategically vital supply conduit and scoring a propaganda victory in what has become a protracted battle in Syria's largest metropolis.
Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and later fled abroad following a corruption conviction, has been accused by the government of being a key force behind protests by the redshirts, who seized areas of the capital before being overcome by army troops last week.
Following Mr Yanukovych's toppling, Russia annexed Crimea in the south, and pro-Russia rebels seized areas in eastern Ukraine, demanding independence.
Items in plain view may be seized; areas that could potentially hide weapons may also be searched.
