Al-Qaeda ISIS force repel FSA out of Azaz, pushing into Aleppo, 2 days later make ceasefire deal - Polidicks

[quote]Al Qaeda-linked militants were on the verge of capturing a strategic border gate between Turkey and opposition-controlled northern Syria late Wednesday night. Hardline Islamist fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) made their advance toward the Turkish border hours after they attacked and pushed more moderate Syrian rebels out of the nearby Syrian town of Azaz. "We are trying to bring reinforcements to make sure that the border crossing is not lost to the ISIS," said Abu Rashid, a commander from the Northern Storm Brigade, a rebel contingent from the opposition Free Syrian Army. That rebel faction has controlled Azaz and the Syrian side of the Oncupinar-Bab el Salama border crossing with Turkey for the past year after it wrested control of the town from the government of Bashar al-Assad. The fighting erupted first erupted in Azaz between FSA rebels and ISIS militants on Wednesday afternoon. The clashes raised tensions on the Turkish side of the border as convoys of ambulances raced back and forth through the border gate and large numbers of Turkish border guards and plain-clothed security personnel deployed throughout the customs terminal, prohibiting journalists from filming the commotion. [/quote] [url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/18/world/meast/syria-turkey-al-qaeda/index.html?hpt=imi_c2]CNN[/url] [quote]The fighting in Azaz began when a wounded rebel - either from Isis or from an allied group, al-Muhajireen - was taken to a field clinic and, while there, he was filmed as part of a fundraising exercise. The wounded fighter demanded the film, and called some of his friends to come and help him. Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels from a unit called the Northern Storm brigade were guarding the field clinic, and there was a confrontation which ended up with Isis launching a full attack on the town, pushing out the Northern Storm brigade. Isis is reported to have made a number of arrests of activists, journalists and even Sharia court officials during the time it controlled Azaz. One eyewitness inside the town said no-one was smoking on the streets - tobacco is forbidden according to strict Islamist doctrine. Map While the Azaz violence seems to have been the result of a particular set of circumstances rather than a long-planned offensive, our correspondent says there is a record of skirmishes between the Jihadis and FSA brigades for control of the border crossings into Turkey. ... The BBC's Paul Wood, on the Syrian border with Turkey, says that under the ceasefire deal in Azaz the two rebel sides have agreed to exchange prisoners and hand back property. It is unclear whether the ceasefire will have an impact on clashes between the groups elsewhere in the country, he says. Analysts say there is more chance that the US and other Western powers may arm the Free Syrian Army if it shows a distinct separation from the Islamists.[/quote] [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24173618]BC[/url]

the syrian rebels are already fighting each other, wtf is gonna happen when they topple assad

[QUOTE=Turing;42253742]the syrian rebels are already fighting each other, wtf is gonna happen when they topple assad[/QUOTE] They wont.

the war was a lost cause after a year, FSA didn't get very far and when they were close other groups started to form until it became an all out every man for himself fight

At least it makes supporting the FSA more clearer when they put actual distance between them and the radicals. I don't see why people get so hysterical about all this though, its a common theme in every civil war.

Fuck the Islamists. They've hijacked this rebellion and given legitimacy to the Assad supporters. What was once a just revolution against a violent dictator has turned into another pointless religious war.

[QUOTE=Explosions;42253922]Fuck the Islamists. They've hijacked this rebellion and given legitimacy to the Assad supporters. What was once a just revolution against a violent dictator has turned into another pointless religious war.[/QUOTE] The Islamists were there from the start, due too all of the religious diversity in Syria religion was always going to be an issue in the civil war.

[QUOTE=Explosions;42253922]Fuck the Islamists. They've hijacked this rebellion and given legitimacy to the Assad supporters. What was once a just revolution against a violent dictator has turned into another pointless religious war.[/QUOTE] The moderates on the rebel side have always been the minority. They never hijacked it, they were a major force from the start.

[QUOTE='[Seed Eater];42255459']The moderates on the rebel side have always been the minority. They never hijacked it, they were a major force from the start.[/QUOTE] What no. All these boogie-men headline grabbing groups are actually really small. Like a fraction of the size of the FSA.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;42253778]At least it makes supporting the FSA more clearer when they put actual distance between them and the radicals. I don't see why people get so hysterical about all this though, its a common theme in every civil war.[/QUOTE] War is something to be extremely emotional about.

[QUOTE=laserguided;42255640]War is something to be extremely emotional about.[/QUOTE] I swear half your posts are meaningless.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;42255621]What no. All these boogie-men headline grabbing groups are actually really small. Like a fraction of the size of the FSA.[/QUOTE] Moderate: FSA: 80,000 Islamist: Islamic Front: 13,000 Al Nursa: 6,000 ISIS: 2,500 Ahfad al-Rasul: 10,000 Ahrar ash-Sham: 10,000 Islamic Liberation Front: 35,000 So basically, the FSA makes up roughly a bit more than half of the forces of the rebels, and I'm not including foreign organizations that are sending units on the Islamist side. It's definitely no clear majority. If we use the "high" estimates of manpower, then the Islamist groups are the majority. So if we're making the point that the FSA is the majority or the leader, or that the Islamists have "hijacked" the rebellion, then that's asinine, because you're discounting half or more of the rebellion.

[QUOTE='[Seed Eater];42256158']Moderate: FSA: 80,000 Islamist: Islamic Front: 13,000 Al Nursa: 6,000 ISIS: 2,500 Ahfad al-Rasul: 10,000 Ahrar ash-Sham: 10,000 Islamic Liberation Front: 35,000 So basically, the FSA makes up roughly a bit more than half of the forces of the rebels, and I'm not including foreign organizations that are sending units on the Islamist side. It's definitely no clear majority. If we use the "high" estimates of manpower, then the Islamist groups are the majority. So if we're making the point that the FSA is the majority or the leader, or that the Islamists have "hijacked" the rebellion, then that's asinine, because you're discounting half or more of the rebellion.[/QUOTE] But what about the kurdish rebels.

[QUOTE=laserguided;42256225]But what about the kurdish rebels.[/QUOTE] Well, they don't strongly support either side, do they? Far as I know, the Kurds have their own separate faction vying for their own interests.

[QUOTE='[Seed Eater];42256257']Well, they don't strongly support either side, do they? Far as I know, the Kurds have their own separate faction vying for their own interests.[/QUOTE] Exactly but you can't discount them, they're still rebels.

[QUOTE=laserguided;42256225]But what about the kurdish rebels.[/QUOTE] kurdish rebels are fighting both rebels and government forces. both groups are massacring the kurds so kurdish rebels are independent. [editline]20th September 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=laserguided;42256268]Exactly but you can't discount them, they're still rebels.[/QUOTE] not the same rebels as the ones fighting to overthrow assad. the kurdish rebels don't seem like they really want to overthrow assad. they are interested in protecting the people of kurdistan.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;42256294]kurdish rebels are fighting both rebels and government forces. both groups are massacring the kurds so kurdish rebels are independent. [editline]20th September 2013[/editline] not the same rebels as the ones fighting to overthrow assad. the kurdish rebels don't seem like they really want to overthrow assad. they are interested in protecting the people of kurdistan.[/QUOTE] They overthrew Assad in Kurdistan, they want to be independent. They are against everybody except themselves.