Moroccan family of 5 members fighting in Syria

Pro-Jihadis' websites posted online undated photo for Moroccan family purporting fighting in Syria; the Father appeared with his 5 rebel sons.

Since 2011, large numbers of Muslims have gone to Syria to fight with the rebels.  

The Syrian conflict began as a secular revolt against autocracy. Yet as the conflict protracts, a radical Islamist dynamic has emerged within the opposition.  There is a small but growing jihadist presence inside Syria, and this presence within the opposition galvanizes Assad’s support base and complicates U.S. involvement in the conflict, according to ISW, Institute for the Study of War.

Internally, Assad has used the threat of jihadists within the opposition to build support for the regime among the Alawite and Christian communities.  It has also served to discourage middle and upper class Sunnis from joining the opposition.  Externally, Russian and Iranian leadership have consistently pointed to the presence of radical Islamists as a critical rationale for their support of the Assad regime, the study said.

Compared to uprisings in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia, the opposition in Syria faces a much greater threat of jihadist infiltration, ISW reported.  Many jihadi elements now operating in Syria are already familiar with the terrain, having been sponsored by the Assad regime for over three decades.  These jihadi elements turned against their former regime allies in 2011 and are now cooperating with local jihadists.