Syrian rebel brigades oppose Western-backed group that announced government in exile . Turkey , an opponent of the Syrian government that has long allowed opposition fighters to travel freely back and forth across its long border with Syria , has recently begun sounding the alarm about extremist groups . The rebels have been fighting for more than a year to topple President Bashar al-Assad, who has ruled Syria since his father Hafez Assad took power after the death of his father, former leader and longtime Moderate opposition groups appear to have suffered a series of setbacks this month . Secular Syrian activists have been warning of the rise of Islamist groups .
Syrian rebel brigades oppose Western-backed group that announced government in exile . The rebels have been fighting for more than a year to topple President Bashar al-Assad, who has ruled Syria since his father Hafez Assad took power after the death of his father, former leader and longtime Moderate opposition groups appear to have suffered a series of setbacks this month . Secular Syrian activists have been warning of the rise of Islamist groups .