Syrian opposition groups actively combating Daesh

ALEPPO, Syria

Although the western media portrays Kurdish PYD forces in Syria -- which are affiliated to the PKK terrorist group -- as the only group effectively combating Daesh, many Syrian opposition groups, including the Free Syrian Army (FSA), are taking part in the fight against the extremist group.

Currently, several different heavily-armed factions are fighting in Syria’s devastating civil war, which is now in its fifth year.

Despite their limited capacities and resources, Syrian opposition forces are now locked in fighting against both Daesh and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Daesh, which currently controls almost half of the country, is trying to sever communications and supply lines between various opposition factions in northern Aleppo and Qalamoun east of Damascus and Daraa.

The PYD, meanwhile, is receiving support in the form of U.S. airstrikes against Daesh positions.

Aleppo

The fiercest fighting between opposition groups and Daesh is currently taking place in northern Aleppo.

In that region, independent opposition forces -- including the Ahrar al-Sham, Al-Sham Front, Nour al-Din al-Zenki, and Jaysh al-Mujahedin groups, along with at least 11 FSA factions -- are actively fighting Daesh.

Since July, Daesh has been targeting the Maree district and other villages. Opposition forces that lack air support, meanwhile, have lost several villages to the militant group.

According to local sources, Syrian regime warplanes are striking opposition-held areas with a view to helping Daesh against opposition groups.

Damascus

While opposition groups currently remain in control of western and southwestern areas of the capital, Daesh enjoys a significant presence in the southern Al-Hajar al-Aswad area.

Meanwhile, clashes between Daesh and a handful of opposition groups -- including the Jaysh al-Islam, Ahrar al-Sham and the Ar-Rahman Legion -- frequently occur in the opposition-held Qalamoun area of northern Damascus.

The Daraa province south of Damascus has also seen frequent clashes between opposition forces and Daesh.

Russia, for its part, began carrying out airstrikes in Syria last week in a major escalation of its ongoing military support for the Assad regime.

While Moscow insists that the strikes are targeting Daesh and affiliated terrorist groups, Western countries and their Gulf allies believe moderate opponents of Assad -- along with civilians -- are bearing the brunt of the Russian bombing.

Syria has been gripped by bitter fighting since the Assad regime cracked down on anti-government protests -- which began in March 2011 as part of the “Arab Spring” uprisings -- with unexpected ferocity.

According to the UN, more than 250,000 people have since been killed in the conflict, which continues to pit several heavily-armed factions -- including Daesh and the regime itself -- against one another.