Since the pro-democracy uprising erupted 16 months ago, various countries have sought leverage over Syria's political future by trying to establish close ties with individuals or blocs in the opposition. Turkey, for example, hosts the Syrian National Council and the Free Syrian Army, and also has a strong link with the Muslim Brotherhood. France, meanwhile, plays host to several senior opposition figures, including the highest-ranking defected military officer, General Manaf Tlass. But probably the most valuable of all potential allies is Nawaf al-Fares, the Syrian envoy in Iraq who defected earlier this month and is now in Qatar.
Unlike other opposition figures who have little power base in Syrian society, Fares leads a powerful clan in the east of the country. His clan is part of the Egaidat tribal confederation, the largest and most prominent in that area, with at least 1.5 million members across 40% of Syria's territory. It also has kinship links to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.
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