Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS; Levant Liberation Union) is led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, and is the dominant faction in the rebel alliance which toppled the regime of Bashar al-Assad with a lightning offensive launched late last month from its stronghold in the north-west. The group has its origins in al-Qaida and Islamic State, and was formally founded in 2017 after breaking with both. HTS has since governed 2 million people in Idlib province, and evolved a more pragmatic ideology, many analysts say. Concerns remain about its extremist roots and the presence of veteran jihadist fighters among its forces.
The Syrian National Army (SNA) is a coalition based in northern Syria backed by Ankara. It was founded in 2017 and includes a diverse range of Arab and Turkmen groups and fighters, including some veterans from the very earliest days of the rebellion against the Assad regime. The SNA participated in the campaign against IS, but has also intensively battled the Kurdish forces in Syria. In recent days, the SNA has launched an offensive against Kurdish groups and has made gains around Manbij, a strategic northern town. Turkey wants to prevent Kurdish groups establishing a solid, contiguous presence on the Syrian side of its southern border and stabilise the zone to allow the return of refugees.
