FILE – In this Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012 file photo, Syrian fighters of “The Beloved of Allah,” brigade hold their weapons before fighting with government forces on the outskirts of Aleppo. More than two years into Syria’s civil war, the once highly-centralized authoritarian state has effectively split into three distinct parts, each boasting its own flags, security agencies and judicial system. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)