Since March 2011, Syria has been enveloped in a civil war between the Syrian regime led by President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian rebel opposition. The 20 month-long conflict has taken the lives of over 40,000 people and has forced tens of thousands of Syrians to flee their country to neighboring Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.
The Syrian opposition, a hodgepodge of civilians, former Syrian military leaders and political dissidents, has been unable to organize it efficiently to overrun the regime. However, despite poor organization, the rebels have been able to make huge strides against Assad's tyrannical government.
In the fourth installment of "Battle for Syria," we will take a look at the core military force of the opposition-the Free Syrian Army-and the newly established National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces.
Free Syrian Army
Established in August 2011, shortly after the crackdown on pro-democracy protest turned increasingly violent, the Free Syrian Army is led by former Syrian air force colonel Riyad al-Asaad.
According to the BBC, the ragtag group of former soldiers and civilians was formed to "work hand in hand with the people to achieve freedom and dignity, topple the regime, protect the revolution and the country's resources and stand up to the irresponsible military machine which is protecting the regime."
Poorly armed, with only basic military training, the FSA has been unable to organize itself to a legitimate fighting force to take on the Syrian military. However, despite the disorganization and with continued persistence, the FSA has been able to make significant victories against Assad's regime. However, its victories have been tinged by repeated reports of crimes against humanity.
On Wednesday, FSA spokesman Abu Qutada told CNN that the opposition in Damascus is much more organized and better armed with heavy weaponry. During a Skype interview from the Syrian capital, Abu Qutada said, "We are conducting significant military operations inside the capital Damascus, this is a new stage."
Analyst maintain that the FSA still does not have the sufficient force to overtake the government-held center of Damascus, but that Assad's forces also do not have the power required to take back the rest of the country.
The FSA has received "non-lethal" aid from several Western powers, as well as monetary aid from some Gulf states. And while FSA has gotten recent help from NATO in the form of Patriot missiles in Turkey (a rebel ally), the threat of chemical warfare from the regime is a concern.
National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces (Syrian Opposition Coalition)
The National Coalition was recently established on November 11 in an effort to better organize the opposition. According to the BBC, different Syrian opposition groups agreed to join together to create a 60-member leadership council to provide the international community an organized front and new legitimate representative of Syria.
The newly formed coalition is led by Sunni Muslim cleric Moaz al-Khatib, who has called on Syrian government troops to abandon the army and join the opposition.
According to the New York Times, international support for the Syrian Opposition Coalition, as the National Coalition is now called, is growing. Since its formation in early November, France, Great Britain, Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council have formally recognized the coalition.
Amid concerns of chemical warfare by the Syrian regime, the United States also seems eager to increase relations with the coalition, the NYT reported. Full support of the coalition, however, will be based on the coalition's ability to make progress on it political structure, the newspaper revealed.
Next Wednesday, a meeting of "Friends of Syria" will meet in Marrakesh, Morocco to fins a solution to the conflict. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "Now that there is a new opposition formed, we are going to be doing what we can to support that opposition."
In the final installment of "Battle for Syria" we will round up the latest developments of the ongoing war, including reports of the Syrian regime's preparations to use chemical weapons against its people. How will the conflict end and is an American-led invasion on the horizon?
Previous installments of "Battle for Syria":
>> Part I: Understanding the Conflict that is Ripping the Nation Apart
>> Part II: The World Reacts as Violence Spills Over Syria's Borders
>> Part III: Who is President Bashar al-Assad and Who is in His Inner Circle?
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