In the aftermath of the Islamic State (IS) siege on Syria and as the civil war continues to linger, attention is now turning to the tribal forces that could wield significant influence over the country's future.

IS considered Raqqa to be its headquarters in Syria until it was driven out in October by US-backed militias, including the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the defeat of IS on both banks of the Euphrates River in Syria.

Raqqa province, which includes the city of Raqqa and the nearby countryside north of the Euphrates River, is home to numerous tribes. The defeat of IS unleashed competition between the Syrian regime and the SDF to attract Raqqa’s tribes. Each side wants to win the backing of these influential tribes, which could help give the allies the tribes choose a strong foothold in Raqqa.

In the post-IS stage, the various victorious parties want to woo the Syrian tribes, which are now trying to unite their ranks in combat formations in a bid to militarily and politically shape the next government.