Now, two major rival militant groups operate in Syria: the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (IS) group and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. IS emerged from wars in Syria and neighbouring Iraq to seize swathes of both countries in mid-2014. Meanwhile, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham coalition controls most of the northwestern province of Idlib. The Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is a coalition essentially composed of al Qaeda’s former affiliate. KurdsSyria’s Kurds have largely avoided the conflict between the government and armed opposition, carving out a semi-autonomous region in northern and northeastern Syria.

Source: The Express Tribune April 14, 2018 08:03 UTC