ALEPPO, Syria — Significant developments are taking place in northern Syria, particularly in the areas held by the Syrian armed opposition factions. Large rebel factions joined the ranks of two large entities, namely Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham (Liberation of the Levant Committee) and Ahrar al-Sham. The factions’ divide since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in March 2011 resulted in them recently losing many of the opposition-held areas, especially the eastern neighborhoods in Aleppo city on Dec. 22, 2016, which were of symbolic, geographic and strategic importance.

On Jan. 29, a number of military factions operating in northern Syria announced their integration into Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham, which includes Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra), the Nureddin Zengi Brigade, Jabhat Ansar al-Din and some of the Ahrar al-Sham battalions. In addition, factions such as the Fastaqim Kama Umirt Union, Jaish al-Mujahideen, Suqour al-Sham and Jaish al-Islam joined the ranks of Ahrar al-Sham.

As a result, two large entities consisting of all of the military factions in the north are now operating in northern Syria. Other factions in Rif Dimashq, Hama countryside and Latakia joined the ranks of either Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham or Ahrar al-Sham.

The rebels believe that it has become imperative for the military factions to be united at this stage, particularly since the Syrian armed opposition suffered losses in Aleppo and Rif Dimashq.