"Syrian jihadi movements"

"The truth of the matter is that jihadi groups do play a role in Syria – still limited, but rapidly growing. Since autumn 2011, Syria’s initially peaceful revolution has been overshadowed by a military conflict between the regime and various anti-government militias. By the turn of the year, this armed movement had taken a sharp turn towards Sunni Muslim religious rhetoric, while sectarian sentiment rose across the nation, and small but aggressive jihadi groups appeared in rebel ranks. These groups are now coalescing into larger movements, while even non-ideological rebels increasingly adopt Islamist rhetoric.  The ”Islamization” of the Syrian conflict is primarily driven by two factors. First, the descent into sectarian conflict pits Sunni Muslims against supporters of the secular, Alawite-dominated regime of Bashar el-Assad. This polarization benefits jihadis by creating a demand for their brand of violent Sunni chauvinism. The second factor is the foreign support pouring in from regional governments and non-state organizations, which is disproportionately empowering Islamist groups." (thanks Aron)