Armed opposition infighting triggers uptick in IS attacks in northern Syria
The Islamic State escalated its attacks in northern Syria, taking advantage of the infighting between the Syrian armed factions controlling the areas there.
ALEPPO, Syria — Explosions of car and motorbike bombs have been recurrent events in northern Syria lately. The Islamic State (IS) has also executed the members of pro-opposition armed factions, especially in Idlib and the northern Aleppo countryside, taking advantage of the lax security situation since April.
The areas that are not controlled by the regime in northern Syria have been under joint control by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other armed factions. These areas, including Idlib province and the countryside of Hama and Aleppo, have a population of 3.7 million people, according to the Humanitarian Response Coordinator, a charity in northern Syria.
The armed factions have been working together with HTS to maintain security in these areas over the past years.
Of late, however, IS cells have emerged and have been active in assassinations and car bombings. The infighting between HTS and the Syrian Liberation Front gave IS even more leeway to carry out its operations under lax security measures.
