SUMMARY

Authenticity and Development Front, Islamic Front and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (at the time known as al-Nusra Front) were the main alliances that fought IS in Deir ez Zor governorate. The fighting was connected to the larger anti-IS fighting that began in January 2014 (see IS - Islamic Front, Mujahideen Army, SRF). This dyad only occasionally existed on the ground, and has whenever possible been divided into its constituent parts, mainly IS - Islamic Front, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and Authenticity and Development Front, Islamic Front - IS. From 25 May 2014, all major groups in Deir ez Zor joined together in an Operations Room called Mujahideen Shura Council, which unsuccessfully tried to defend the province from an IS counter-offensive that began in April (see IS - Mujahideen Shura Council.

The January 2014 offensive originally saw some success in Deir ez Zor governorate in pushing back IS, but all gains were reversed in IS's April counter-offensive, which ended with IS in full control of the province, with the exception of government controlled Deir ez Zor city, in July. Following IS victory, portions of Authenticity and Development Front covertly remained behind in the province as a military formation known as the White Shroud, which conducted targeted assassinations of IS members in the area between Albu Kamal town and Deir ez Zor city (see Authenticity and Development Front - IS).