Cooperation or rivalry? These opposition groups could rule Syria in the future
An overwhelming rebel advance on Syria's capital Damascus forced dictator Assad to flee. Who are these opposition fighters? And what are they up to now?
08.12.2024, 23:37
dpa
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- Syria is fragmented into areas under the control of various armed groups, and foreign powers such as Russia, Iran, the US, Turkey and Israel have their hands in the pie.
- Here is an overview of which groups the insurgents belong to and how they could cooperate with each other.
Following the insurgents' advance into the Syrian capital Damascus and the flight of head of state Bashar al-Assad, it is unclear for the first time in more than 50 years of dictatorship who will rule Syria in the future. The Syrian army surrendered important cities without putting up much resistance to the rebels. Who are these opposition fighters? And what are they up to now? Below is an overview of the groups involved, their actions and their goals.
Hajat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)
The offensive towards Damascus was led by the most powerful insurgent group in Syria, Hajat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as well as an umbrella organization of Turkish-backed Syrian militias, the so-called Syrian National Army. They began their advance on November 27 with the capture of the cities of Aleppo and Hama.
The HTS was once a branch of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda and is classified as a terrorist organization by the USA and the United Nations. In recent years, however, the group has reportedly severed its ties with Al-Qaeda. According to experts, HTS attempted to regroup by focusing on promoting civilian government in its territory as well as military action. The HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told the US broadcaster CNN on Thursday that the aim of the offensive was to overthrow the Assad government.
Syrian National Army
The HTS and the Syrian National Army were sometimes allies and sometimes rivals, and their goals could differ again in the future. The Turkish-backed militias have an interest in creating a buffer zone near the Turkish border to keep Kurdish fighters out. Turkey was one of the main supporters of the opponents of the government who wanted to topple Assad, but has recently pushed for reconciliation. Turkish representatives have strongly denied claims of involvement in the current offensive. An important question is whether the HTS and the National Army will cooperate after the fall of Assad.
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)
Much of eastern Syria is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed Kurdish-led group that has clashed with most of the country's other armed groups in the past.
Local opposition groups
While the offensive against the Syrian government began in the north, armed opposition groups also mobilized elsewhere. The southern areas of Al-Suwaida and Daraa were both captured by local forces. Al-Suwaida is the heartland of Syria's Druze religious minority and was already the scene of anti-government protests after Assad appeared to have consolidated his control over the area.
Daraa is an area of Sunni Muslims that is widely regarded as the cradle of the uprising against Assad's rule that began in 2011. Daraa was recaptured by Syrian government forces in 2018, but rebels held the fort in some areas. In recent years, tense calm has prevailed in Daraa as part of a settlement brokered by Russia.
