After Eastern Ghouta and Daraa were taken by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) earlier this year, the Syrian Government has begun to divert its attention towards the last remaining region under the control of the rebels, Greater Idlib.
While the battle for the Greater Idlib Region has not officially taken off, SAA reinforcements, including the SAA’s elite Tiger Forces, have been amassing in the Ghab Plains in northern Hama and SAA-held districts in western Aleppo.
Over the course of the last few weeks, the SAA shelled a number of towns and villages in the Greater Idlib Region including the towns of Lataminah and Kafr Zita in northern Hama; the villages of al-Tamanah, Sukyk, Tal A’as, al-Tal, Tartiya, and al-Tah along with the town of Khan Sheikhoun in southern Idlib; the village of Bidama west of Jisr al-Shughour in western Idlib; and, the village of Hayan in western Aleppo.
Over the past month, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the National Liberation Front (NLF) have conducted the arrest of dozens of local people in the areas they control for alleged attempts to “reconcile” with the government. This reveals that the two groups are determined not to allow locals to negotiate with the government, causing several areas to be handed to the SAA without a fight.
Throughout the conflict, Idlib has received rebel groups who have been evacuated from their areas up and down the country. As a result, it has become a hub for multiple groups fighting the Syrian Government.
The large number of people present in Idlib and the sheer number of fighters within the region raises concerns over the crisis that might occur when the SAA launches It’s offensive.
Below is a list of some of the main groups found within the Greater Idlib region:
HTS: Formed in January 2017 by a merger between Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formally Jabhat al-Nusra [al-Qaeda in Syria]), Liwa al-Haq, Jaish al-Sunnah, Liwa Nour al-Din al-Zinki and Ansar al-Din. Many of these groups have since left the group. Nonetheless, HTS has the biggest presence in Idlib and controls Idlib city.
NLF: Founded in May 2018 the NLF is composed of different factions including Suquour al-Sham, Jabhat Tahrir Suriya (JTS), and Jaish al-Ahrar. The groups merged into the Free Syrian Army (FSA)-affiliated National Liberation Front (NLF). The merger of these groups brings all Turkish-backed rebel factions in Idlib under one umbrella.
Jaysh al-Izza: FSA-affiliated rebel group in Northern Hama. Known to be politically close to HTS.
Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP): Syrian branch of the armed Uyghur jihadist group which seeks to establish a caliphate in Central Asia. The Syrian TIP was established in 2015, and is mainly based in Jisr al-Shughur district in Idlib.
Syrian National Army (SNA): Turkish-backed FSA group known to operate in Northern Syria. Participated in Euphrates Shield Operations and Operation Olive Branch.
Tanzim Hurras al-Din: Semi-official al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. Previously with Jabhat al-Nusra and HTS, but has left since. Present in Idlib, although no territorial control.
Islamic State (IS): Present in Idlib, although no territorial control.