Syria/Iraq: Who is fighting the Islamic State?

Here is a breakdown of the main forces fighting Islamic State jihadists in Iraq and Syria, after British lawmakers on Wednesday voted to join the US-led bombing campaign in Syria: - Syrian and Iraqi armies - - SYRIA: The Syrian army numbered 178,000 troops in 2015, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Syria's army has been roughly halved from its pre-war strength by deaths, defections and increased draft dodging. In its fight against rebels and jihadists, it relies on militias, which claim 150,000 to 200,000 members. - IRAQ: The army counts 177,600 men, according to the IISS. After the US invasion in 2003, US officials dissolved the army, which was then...