In October NLF merged with other rebel groups in northern Syria and rebranded itself to become part of the Syrian National Army (SNA) under the command of the Syrian Interim Government's (SIG) Ministry of Defence.But Aron Lund, a fellow with the US-based research group The Century Foundation, says the NLF "is still the same group of Idlib-based factions as before the SNA rebranding", noting that the alliance is held together by Turkish leadership, as well as Turkish money, weapons and supplies. He says HTS is affiliated to al-Qaeda despite its denials. Syrian government forces, backed by their Russian allies, have stepped up bombardment of the rebel-held territory.According to the UN, nearly 300 people have died in Idlib province and more than 300,000 people have been displaced since the escalation of violence in May. Idlib has been managed by means of numerous rival factions, reasonably than a unmarried staff, because it fell to the opposition in 2015. “They and their families may not number more than several thousand,” he says.There are also believed to be other foreign jihadists in Idlib, including Chechens and Uzbeks, although the numbers are likely to be smaller.A major concern now is for the civilians living in Idlib.The UN estimates it is home to 3 million people, including 1 million children. There are also many foreign jihadists in Idlib, many of whom are fighting for groups associated with al-Qaeda. The Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) is a group of Uighur fighters, who mostly fight alongside HTS. HTS is the most powerful group in the only remaining area still held by rebels in Syria Russia and Syria have accused groups controlling the area of violating the ceasefire agreement and carrying out attacks against civilians and military positions. The northern Syrian province of Idlib is the last remaining stronghold controlled by forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad.Syrian government forces, backed by their Russian allies, have stepped up bombardment of the rebel-held territory.According to the UN, nearly 300 people have died in Idlib province and more than 300,000 people have been displaced since the escalation of violence in May.Russia and Syria have accused groups controlling the area of violating the ceasefire agreement and carrying out attacks against civilians and military positions.In September last year, Russia, Turkey and Iran agreed to extend a ceasefire across north-west Syria and impose a 30km (18.6 mile) buffer zone between opposing forces.Idlib has been controlled by a number of rival factions, rather than a single group, since it fell to the opposition in 2015.In January 2019, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an alliance of jihadists groups, launched a large-scale offensive against rival rebel groups in the area.HTS has now become one of the strongest militant groups in northern Syria. It is a Turkish-backed alliance that includes hardline Islamist groups like Ahrar al-Sham, as well as several groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army – a force considered more “moderate” by Western powers. Syrian government forces have been pushing into rebel-held territory with the help of Iranian-backed militias and Russian airstrikes.Dozens of towns and villages have been captured by Syrian forces including a key strategic highway, the main economic artery through Syria from north to south, linking Damascus, Homs and Aleppo.The fighting has led to the collapse of a fragile cease-fire brokered in 2018 by Turkey, Iran and Russia. These are external links and will open in a new window The Uighurs - a Muslim ethnic minority primarily based in China's Xinjiang province - established a presence in northern Syria in the early years of the civil war.There are also the predominantly-Uzbek Tawhid and Jihad Brigade, which is aligned with HTS, and the Imam al-Bukhari Brigade. "They're clearly a weaker force than HTS," according to Lund.
The UN says the air and ground attacks in Idlib have been causing both "massive waves" of displacement and "major loss of civilian life".At least 1,710 civilians have been killed, including 337 women and 503 children since the escalation of the conflict in northwest Syria in April 2019.A further wave of job losses is expected after a record economic fall coinciding with lockdown. The following year, it merged with several small jihadist groups fighting in Syria and formed HTS. It is a Turkish-backed alliance that includes hardline Islamist groups like Ahrar al-Sham and Faylaq al-Sham, as well as several groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) - a force considered more "moderate" by Western powers.