Rebel groups weigh options in Syria's east
Armed opposition groups from Syria's eastern province of Deir ez-Zor are working on how to retake their city from the Islamic State before the Syrian regime does without having to ally with Kurdish forces.
ERBIL, Iraq — Dynamics affecting armed opposition groups from Syria’s easternmost region, the Islamic State-held Deir ez-Zor, have shifted significantly in recent months.
Though some of the groups deployed north and south of the region are helping Kurdish fighters retake Raqqa, most are strongly against involvement by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in their home region. The importance of using local forces in the fight to retake Syria’s easternmost region has long been seen as key to preventing backlash from the local Sunni Arab population, ethnic-based violations and land grabs.
