The main Syrian opposition coalition announced that a new leader, Khaled Khawjah was elected.  This came amidst stagnation in the political hopes to find a solution for the Syrian Crisis.  Recent talks between political opposition group did not result into anything material.  At the same time, few Islamist groups fighting in Douma, east of  Damascus, announced the formation of a new umbrella group after days of fighting.  This was announced by Zahran Allouch, who controls the biggest group fighting in the area.  Allouch’s group, Jaysh al-Islam, and who waged an attack against its rival Jaysh al-Ummah, and arrested its leader, Ahmad Taha, as well as as much as 400 fighters.  This move takes Jaysh al-Ummah out of the game.  Jaysh al-Ummat is estimated to be between 1500-1000 fighters.  It evolved from a previous group: Liwa’ Shuhada’ Douma.  The groups left in the area to operate along Jaysh al-Islam are Faylaq al-Rahman, and al-Itihad al-Islami li-Ajnad al-Sham.  The accusations against Jaysh al-Ummah, to justify the attack, carried from drug trafficking to corruption.  Fighting flared again in Jubar.  Also, in the south, FSA groups joined together.  This was not the pattern in other parts of Syria, where fighting continued with bad weather looming for the next few days.  The coast is witnessing more clashes in the Kasab region where armed groups had been launching rockets more frequently against targets in Latakia and its surroundings.  People celebrated new year here and there amidst the war that is raging still.