[4] Several smaller rebel groups were also created by protesters, which operated under the umbrella of the larger Free Syrian Army.

[6] By February 2014, the strongest opposition faction fighting in the Daraa governorate would be the Southern Front, which is a loose series of military alliances.

Due to the weakened state of rebel forces, several groups accepted reconciliation talks with the Syrian government.

[7] An offensive by two groups allegedly associated with the Islamic State (ISIL) would see a cell established around the settlement of Nahj, roughly 9km away from the capital of Daraa.

[8] The Free Syrian Army would later recapture most of the lost territory, with ISIL-affiliated forces remaining in the Yarmouk Valley on the border with Jordan.

[10] After the offensive which put most of southern Syria back into the Syrian army's control, several rebel forces would accept reconciliation talks.

[7] However, these reconciliation talks would restart several times due to clashes between rebel forces and the Syrian army.