After the fall of Damascus to rebel forces and the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the US announced its continued military presence in eastern Syria to prevent the resurgence of ISIS. The rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly an al-Qaeda affiliate and a globally designated terrorist organization, has emerged as a key force in the region. The developments mark a turning point in Syria’s devastating civil war, which has left cities in ruins and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.