Part 4/16:
However, military strikes only address surface-level threats. Syria’s lack of unified security forces allows numerous rebel factions, many operating outside central control, to continue activities that threaten stability. While official disbandment of rebel militias was announced in late January, many fighters remain active, blending into loosely affiliated militias involved in smuggling, organized crime, and insurgency. This fragmented power vacuum presents a fertile ground for jihadist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda to reassert influence, especially as economic hardship and unemployment foster radicalization.