Breaking News: Al-Qaeda has officially taken over the Syrian Opposition

As of 29th of August 2017, Al-Qaeda in Syria, rebranded as "Hayat Tahrir Ash-Sham," has taken over Idlib and kicked out rival Ahrar Ash-Sham.

Whereas before other rebels were working with Al-Qaeda, now Al-Qaeda has taken them over. And with the fall of Islamic State in Syria, Tahrir Ash-Sham taunts the Syrian Government with yet another terrorist hub in its territory.

Talks are still ongoing between Turkey, Iran and Russia about creating a fourth de-escalation zone in Idlib Province. But with the Trump Administration backing away from the Syrian quagmire and issuing stiff warnings to Tahrir Ash-Sham, the Syrian Government may be poised to strike at the heart of the Islamist Revolution of Syria.

But Russian priority is still ISIS. Until ISIS is dealt lasting defeat in eastern Syria, Russia will not give permission for Bashar Al-Assad to unleash his forces against Idlib. Until then, Al-Qaeda has a safe-haven and a large army ready for the next battle.

Siege of Deir Ezzor ended

Finally, the siege of Deir Ezzor by ISIS is at an end.

In a matter of months, the Syrian Arab Army has regained enormous swathes of territory from ISIS, from eastern Aleppo to As-Suknah to Deir Ezzor. ISIS now only exists in Syria in Raqqa, the countryside of Deir Ezzor and in the hearts and minds of those who experienced ISIS' tyrannical rule.

There is another half of the Deir Ezzor city to liberate. After that, the Syrian Arab Army is likely to drive ISIS to the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, before finally finishing off the terror organisation for good in Syria.

After regaining control of Deir Ezzor and after the Syrian Kurds have liberated the city of Raqqa, it is unlikely that ISIS will ever return to Syria in territorial form. ISIS will focus on Iraq and the Arabian Gulf, and Syria will have time to recover from the horrors of its civil war.