Who’s fighting who

ISLAMIC STATE

A mainly Sunni Islamist terror group, including tens of thousands of foreign fighters, which has moved into large swathes of Syria.

SYRIAN GOVERNMENT

Bashar al-Assad is believed to have used chemical weapons against his people. His government considers all rebel groups terrorists.

MODERATE SYRIAN REBELS

Backed by the West. Known as the Free Syrian Army.

JADHAT AL-NUSRA

An extremist rebel group affiliated with al-Qaeda.

HEZBOLLAH

Lebanon’s Shiite group Hezbollah, backed by Iran, fights with the Syrian army.

ISLAMIC FRONT

An alliance of seven rebel groups who want to create an Islamic state but criticise IS for its brutal tactics.

US, UK AND OTHER COALITION FORCES

The coalition forces are fighting to defeat IS and oust Assad. Coalition forces are in Turkey and Jordan training moderate Syrian rebels.

RUSSIA

Vladimir Putin says Russia is attacking IS and supporting Assad. Evidence suggests it is attacking non-IS rebels.

IRAN

Iranian troops are to join government forces and Hezbollah in a ground offensive backed by Russian air strikes. Iran wants to defeat IS and prop up Assad.