In just a few days, a patchwork of rebel forces has seized control of a broad stretch of land in the west and northwest of Syria. But it’s unclear just how much support Syria’s weakened allies can provide.

Hundreds of fighters from Iran -backed Iraqi militias have crossed into Syria to help the regime of Bashar al-Assad fight off an insurgency across much of the northwest of the country, which has seen the seizure of the second city of Aleppo.

Assad’s regime seemingly came out of nowhere, and as Aleppo fell to Turkish-backed rebels in a matter of days, the Syrian president reportedly flew to Moscow.