Rebel forces are armed groups that challenge the rule of a state and often have ties to non-state actors. They may be involved in a local or international conflict, and their actions may affect civilian populations. In these types of conflicts, the law of the state usually overrides international humanitarian law and rebels can be prosecuted under domestic criminal laws for offences such as murder, rape, terrorism or property destruction.
The Eritrean People’s Liberation Front waged a determined 30-year guerilla campaign against Ethiopian rule, leading to the independence of Eritrea in 1993. Its success is celebrated as a model for the use of discipline and internal democracy to defeat a larger adversary.
Syrian opposition groups have fought a protracted, bloody civil war against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime since 2011. These rebel factions operate under the umbrella of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which is backed by Turkey.
In late November, FSA-linked groups in northwest Syria launched a major offensive that has led to an upsurge in fighting. The offensive was spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and Jabhat Al-Nusra. The group is a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization with historic ties to Al-Qaeda and whose leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, renounced his ties to Al-Qaeda in 2016.
HTS’s rapid advance has created a new battle line between the FSA, backed by Turkey, and Russia and Iran-backed forces supporting Assad. It also risks destabilizing a region that is already wracked by conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.