An anti-regime fighter tears up a portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo, after HTC-dominated opposition forces entered the northern Syrian city on Nov. 29. (Credit: Mohammed AL-Rifai/AFP)
Syrian armed opposition forces — of which Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is the dominant group — entered Aleppo on Friday for the first time since the city was recaptured by government forces in 2016, and they did so only three days after launching their surprise offensive.The attack has rekindled a conflict that was thought to have been "frozen" for several years, and raises questions about the future of Bashar al-Assad's regime, now weaker than ever. Here's a look, in four parts, at an upheaval that could fundamentally reshuffle the cards, both locally and regionally.Who is Hay'at Tahrir al-Cham?The Syrian rebels comprise of various forces acting in opposition to the Assad regime, but over time, HTS has established itself as the main group within them, having fought against some much more moderate factions in its early days. HTS is a...
Syrian armed opposition forces — of which Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is the dominant group — entered Aleppo on Friday for the first time since the city was recaptured by government forces in 2016, and they did so only three days after launching their surprise offensive.The attack has rekindled a conflict that was thought to have been "frozen" for several years, and raises questions about the future of Bashar al-Assad's regime, now weaker than ever. Here's a look, in four parts, at an upheaval that could fundamentally reshuffle the cards, both locally and regionally.Who is Hay'at Tahrir al-Cham?The Syrian rebels comprise of various forces acting in opposition to the Assad regime, but over time, HTS has established itself as the main group within them, having fought against some much more moderate factions in its early days. HTS is...