Who Are the 'Friends of Syria'?

In London, foreign ministers from eleven countries - the so-called Friends of Syria group - are trying to encourage opposition groups "to have a united position" ahead of talks in Geneva. The UK foreign secretary has said bolstering Syria's moderate opposition is crucial to excluding extremists from power in the war-gripped country. He also said that an increasingly prominent role was being played in Syria by Islamist rebels linked to al-Qaeda, who are engaged in no kind of peace process.

Photo: Associated Press /Oli Scarff