The civil war in Syria, which had been relatively dormant until 2020, gained global headlines after a rapid and surprising rebel offensive that captured several key cities in the country, including Aleppo.
The conflict, which began in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring uprisings, has evolved into a fractured civil war with many rebel factions supported by regional actors with competing agendas.
Despite initial demands for more democracy and freedom, the protests were quickly co-opted by extremist Islamic groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS, resulting in a prolonged state of economic crisis for those remaining in Syria.
Following a lightning attack and the conquest of Aleppo by militants led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, rebels have advanced southwards towards Hama, posing a serious challenge to the central government’s control.