FACTIONS FIGHTING IN SYRIA:
Islamic State (ISIS)............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.... His government considers all rebel groups now as terrorists and that his country has been overrun with terrorists.
Moderate Syrian rebels......Backed by the USA...to unseat Assads Government...Regime change... Known as the Free Syrian Army....most have run to Europe or in Jordon and Turkey as refugees.
Jadhat al-Nusra......An Islamic terrorist rebel group affiliated with Al Qaeda.
Hezbollah.....Lebanon’s Shi'ite group Hezbollah, backed by Iran, fights with the Syrian army.
Islamic Front.....An alliance of seven terrorist groups who want to create an Islamic state but criticize ISIS for its brutal tactics.
US, UK, Saudi and other coalition forces....The coalition forces are fighting to defeat ISIS and oust Assad.
Russia.....Putin says Russia is attacking ISIS and supporting Assad.
Iran....Iranian troops have joined government forces and Hezbollah in 'a ground offensive' backed by Russian air strikes.... Iran wants to defeat ISIS and prop up Assad.