ISTANBUL (AA) - The number of groups fighting against regime forces in Syria and getting professional in military aspects is reported to have reached 700, among which the leading names are Syrian Islamic Salvation Front, Syrian Islamic Front, Syrian al-Nusra Front and Organization of 'Iraqi and Damascus Islamic State'.
Many high ranking officers left Syrian army on June 9, 2011 under leadership of Major Husein Harmush, causing emergence of many military groups fighting against the regime.
Syrian Islamic Salvation Front, having many brigades, is known to be effective in suburbs of Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Qusayr, Deiruz-zor.
Syrian Islamic Front emerged on December 21, 2012 by favor of Damascus Islamic Salvation Movement.
Al-Nusra Front emerged out of groups fighting against the regime at the end of 2011 and hit the headlines with the bomb attacks in the office of General Staff of Syria and a club of Syrian army officers in Aleppo. The front is effective in northern Syria, and many of its fighters are Syrians.
Taken into terrorist organization list by US in December, 2012, Nusra Front was also taken into blacklist by UN Security Council on the grounds that it is affiliated with Al-Qaeda, a global militant Islamist organization.
Organization of 'Iraqi and Damascus Islamic State' has mostly foreign fighters and does not wish a takeover of Assad and a democratic government in Syria, while desiring to capture oil sources in the country. It also fought against Free Syrian Army so as to capture Babu's-Salam border gate in recent months which is across Turkish Oncupinar border gate in southern province of Hatay.
Meanwhile, Kurdish groups affiliated with PYD, which is a political offshoot of PKK terrorist organization, also take place in northern regions of Syria as well as Sheikh Maqsud and al-Ashrafia districts.
By Omer Kus - Fadi Isa
englishnews@aa.com.tr
