It seems not a month goes by without some new entity emerging from the ever split and divided Syrian opposition, whether in its Islamic or mainstream components. The formation late last month, April, 2014, in Istanbul of the Syrian Islamic council, headed by prominent cleric and Muslim scholar Osama Al-Rifai, is the latest attempt by the Islamist opposition to get their house in order, and to provide a counterweight to the extremist ideologies of the radical Islamist and jihadist groups which have slowly permeated Syrian society in areas out of regime control, and have eroded international support for the opposition's cause, frightening away would be backers. The current opposition umbrella groups in exile, namely the National Coalition,have failed to get much traction or support on the ground in Syria, especially among the Islamist and Jihadist groups who view them with unconcealed contempt. This effectively renders the opposition movement as a whole leaderless and rudderless, and stalls any large scale financial or military support their increasingly nervous backers in Europe and the U.S. are willing to give. Furthermore, the Islamic opposition dismisses the National Coalition as an ineffectual talking shop, wracked with internal petty squabbles and rivalries. Their frustration at the West's continued backing of the group and insistence on it being the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian opposition has led them to form their own political entity, with the blessing and tacit backing of the Turkish government. The fledgling Islamic Council claims it is merely an "Islamic reference" aimed at helping the Syrian people spiritually and through coordinating aid work, and has no political aspirations. The group is founded to function as a "religious administration center" to promote moderate Islam among Syrians, and does not aim to replace the National Coalition, according to its head Shiekh Al-Rifai. But observers believe it is only a matter of time before it plays an active role both on the political and military scenes. Already, it boasts "internal" delegates and representatives, some of whom may in the future act as liaisons between the group and a multitude of Islamic rebel factions who are "vetted" and supported by its host nation, Turkey. The formation of this latest opposition group is therefore quite a significant event, as it highlights the increasing belief among the regional backers of the armed opposition that the only effective fighting forces on the ground are the Islamists, and a framework is needed to unite and coordinate their efforts, both against the regime as well as the extremist ISIS. The mainstream rebels of the FSA have proven to be unreliable, corrupt and ineffectual, while the maverick ISIS is seen as a dangerous threat both to regional stability and international security. There have been previous attempts to unite Islamist factions, although they've largely focused on military structures and formations, such as the Saudi backed Islamic Front headed by Zahran Aloush and tasked with rallying other Islamist groups in a concerted effort to rout the ISIS early this year. The Islamic Council is designed to provide a solid, legitimate political presence for Islamist fighters as well as some form of centralized "guidance", which is why it has been careful to hand pick influential and revered Islamic figures respected and trusted by forces opposed to the Assad regime. It plans to expand further, no doubt as its clout and influence increase on the ground, and eventually incorporate representatives from all the major Islamic rebel factions. But it is unclear whether it will be successful in its goals, as regional backers of the Islamist Syrian rebels don't always see eye to eye and often have contradictory agendas. Whether they will continue to back their own groups separately, or agree to unite in the framework of the council remains to be seen, but with Qatar at loggerheads with other Gulf powers over its backing of the Muslim Brothers, including their armed wing in Syria, that remains a doubtful prospect. The stalemated civil war is sprouting more and more factions, groups and organizations as the opposition remains splintered and a multitude of nations get their hands dirty in the fray. There seems to be no respite for the long suffering Syrian people, and no clear vision as to how this conflict will end, or what comes after. The Islamic Council is just the latest player on this already overcrowded scene.
