HTS is the strongest jihadist group in the province. Hurras al-Deen is an offshoot branch of HTS with links to al-Qaida and the Turkistan Islamic Party, which is made up mostly of Chinese Uighur militants
Fighting died down in much of the country after President Bashar al-Assad’s forces defeated rebels in bloody battles around the capital and southern Syria, bringing just over 60 percent of the country back under his control. Of the 20,000, only 6,500 were civilians
Oil workers recognize the risks that come with their profession, but they say unemployment forced them into it