Now Hundreds of Syrian Rebels Defect to Al Qaeda

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Now hundreds of Syrian rebels defect to AlQaeda: 'Civil war within the civil war'weakens the battle to topple Assad

Infighting has alarmed London, Washington and Paris

Radical groups are growing in power, according to rival rebels

By David Williams, Chief Reporter

PUBLISHED: 15:14 GMT, 20 September 2013 | UPDATED: 11:47 GMT, 21 September 2013

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Rebel leaders in Syria warned last night that gunmen linked to Al Qaeda were undermining the battle

to oust tyrant Bashar al-Assad.

Hundreds of rebel fighters are defecting and pledging allegiance to the extremists, according to

sources.

Entire units are said to have joined the small but powerful Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and Islamic

State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in recent days.

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A rebel fighter cleans his weapon as two of his comrades look on in Aleppo yesterday.

Syrian rebels have agreed a ceasefire with Al Qaeda loyalists after bitter fighting for a

key border town


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A good, clean fight? Hundreds of rebel fighters, not pictured, are defecting and pledging

allegiance to the extremists

This is a sign the radical groups are still growing in power ... this region could fall to the jihadists, said

an activist in the eastern town of Raqqa, adding: We may see this become a trend.

At least two entire rebel brigades are said to have joined the Nusra Front in opposition-held Raqqa,which borders Turkey. One of the groups, the Raqqa Revolutionaries, is said to have about 750

fighters.

A video uploaded by activists from Raqqa yesterday showed a massive convoy of fighters on cars and

trucks with artillery and machine guns as they waved black flags. The videos title said it was a newly

unified force of Nusra fighters and other rebel battalions which had recently pledged loyalty.

Hundreds of Syria rebels pledge loyalty to al-Qaeda groups


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In one glimmer of reconciliation, Al Qaeda fighters and a rival Syrian rebel group agreed a truce to end

two days of vicious infighting in the northern town of Azaz which militant Islamists had seized from

more moderate rebels.

The clashes dubbed a civil war within the civil war have alarmed London, Washington and Paris,

especially as it is seen as weakening the two-and-a-half-year revolt against Assad. Fighting has been

intensifying between Nusra/ISIL and the less effective but more moderate forces that make up the

majority of opposition fighters.

Many Syrian rebels are attracted to radical units because they are generally more effective than the

moderate forces which have Western backing but receive only halting military aid.


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A rebel fighter fires at pro-government forces in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo

yesterday, as the ceasefire struggles to reach most parts of the country

Islamists have steady, private sources of funding and experienced militants, many of them from

abroad, who have fought US forces in Iraq or Afghanistan. The divisions in the anti-Assad forces have

led to warnings that any US-led military strikes would help Al Qaeda factions and that weapons

supplied by the Western allies could end up in their hands.

During the time ISIL has controlled Azaz, it is reported to have made several arrests of activists,

journalists and even sharia court officials. One witness inside the town said no-one was smoking on

the streets tobacco is forbidden under some strict interpretations of Islamic doctrine.

Yet the opposition to Assad remains widespread. One example of its diversity is the all-female Mother

Aisha battalion in Aleppo, comprising former teachers whose members cover their faces as they carry

out duties such as reconnaissance.


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Your move: Syrian men play a game of chess in a park in Damascus yesterday. The

30-month war has killed more than 110,000 people and forced more than two million to

flee

Syria yesterday submitted some details of its chemical weapons to the Organisation for the Prohibition

of Chemical Weapons in The Hague a significant step in the plan to destroy them under a joint

Russian-US proposal.

Syrias deputy prime minister Qadri Jamil was reported to have said the civil war had reached

stalemate, with neither government forces nor rebels strong enough to win and that Damascus would

use proposed talks in Geneva to call for a ceasefire. But it was later claimed he had been misquoted.

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Comments (83)

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The Terror organisations, currently on the increase in Syria will surely pose a greater threat to the world than the current

President does to his fellow countrymen, women and children. I fear Western leaders may still not fully appreciate the threat

of Al Qaeda factions in the land pose for the future. Depose Assad forces at your peril or r isk chaos and mayhem in the

none to distant future. Can't happen? Oh yes it can.

- Ted Wallis , Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, 21/9/2013 15:32

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Rebels will seek aid from who ever supports them in this case alqaida

- Crimson , UK, 21/9/2013 14:53


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So now you know just who your government really supports, still its a fun old world, in the rest of the world you are trying to

kill them with drones, in Syria you are arming them/

- PANAGRACE , BRUXELLES, Belgium, 21/9/2013 14:48


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we should support who the Syrian Christians support and that is Assad

- obidoug , Leighton Buzzard UK, 21/9/2013 12:47


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Anything coming from William 'Roomshare' Hagues office on this? Thought not...and there won't be. Not in my name

- merc , welshpool, 21/9/2013 12:26


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A ten year old could have seen this happening ages ago....hopeless brainless US..UK leaders!

- flodelis , Morden, 21/9/2013 12:17


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Surprize surprize.er well no actually. My pet budgie knew this was bound to happen.

- Stephen G , Merthyr Tydfil, 21/9/2013 12:10


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Every day. Events prove how totally misguided are Hague and Cameron in wanting to back the Syrian rebels.

- Bry , York, United Kingdom, 21/9/2013 11:55


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Your comments:And politicians wan give them guns!!!

- the fixer , Denmark, 21/9/2013 11:52


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This interesting turn of events is truly shocking. I wonder why no one saw it coming?


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- Sam Huston , Petawawa, Canada, 21/9/2013 11:25


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3 of 13 09/21/2013 06:21

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Now Hundreds of Syrian Rebels Defect to Al Qaeda