Who are the main rebel groups in Syria?
They were united against the country’s dictator. Now they have little in common

WHEN REBELS reached Syria’s capital, Damascus, on December 8th, they did so from two directions. Fighters from the south were the first to arrive. From the north came members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former affiliate of al-Qaeda that had led the push against the country’s dictator, Bashar al-Assad, over the preceding fortnight. The Syrian National Army (SNA) and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), two other important groups, were also involved in the fight to topple Mr Assad. This was the culmination of 13 years of bloody civil war. Soon after rebels reached the city, the president fled, ending more than 50 years of his family’s rule.
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The Economist explains
December 14th 2024
From the December 14th 2024 edition
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The idea of the body count evolves

Why are India and Pakistan fighting over water?
After terror attacks India has suspended a water-sharing treaty

How will mines dropped by drones change warfare?
They make attacks on tanks more precise and troops easier to trap
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What would Donald Trump gain from seizing the Panama Canal?
The president-elect claims the crossing is controlled by China and rips off American consumers
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How a miracle-working Greek bishop, Dutch folk figure and early New York icon became the ubiquitous symbol of Christmas