More people are being introduced to the Syrian conflict by the advances of the Islamic State. Here’s a 7-minute introduction to the jihadists and their relationships with the insurgency and with the Assad regime.

1. The Islamic State is not part of the Syrian insurgency.
2. So who are the insurgency?
3. Where is the Assad regime positioned between the Islamic State and the insurgency?
4. “We have a 3-way fight.”
5. “If you are going to deal with the Syrian crisis, you are going to have to deal with both the Assad regime and the Islamic State.”

See also Syria Op-Ed: Both Assad and ISIS Declared War On The Syrian People, Because Both Want The Same For Themselves