During a surprise offensive in northwest Syria late last year, insurgents overran key areas, forcing Syrian leader Bashar Assad to flee.

Despite a Dec. 7 meeting in Qatar where officials from Turkey, Russia, Iran, and Arab countries agreed on halting advances and pursuing talks with Assad, insurgents from the south pushed into Damascus.

Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) emerged as Syria’s de facto rulers after coordinating with southern fighters, the Associated Press has reported.

HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa called for a unified national army, but divisions persist as southern commander Ahmad al-Awda and others resist participation in the interim administration.

Written by B.C. Begley